Shadab Khan's maiden ODI century sends Pakistan into tri-series final

Pakistan beat England by one wicket in the fourth match of the one-day international tri-series at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday, a result Dawn and the Express Tribune reported as carrying the hosts into the final, built on an unbeaten maiden ODI century from Shadab Khan.

Shadab was at the crease with the last wicket standing, Haris Rauf holding firm at the other end, as the chase closed, according to Dawn. The paper reported that Pakistan needed 27 runs when Shadab swept Gus Atkinson for six over fine leg, and that Atkinson then fired a full delivery into the batsman's pads as the sparse crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium waited.

The Express Tribune called it a one-wicket victory inspired by the all-rounder's first one-day hundred. ProPakistani, which identified the fixture as the fourth match of the series, said the innings guided Pakistan to the win. The Pakistan Cricket Board described the knock as a "record-breaking unbeaten century"; The National's headline called it a world record century. In the material available, neither specified which record had been broken.

The reports also differed on what the result settled. Dawn and the Express Tribune said the century steered Pakistan into the tri-series final. The National's headline said the innings secured the tri-series itself.

Dawn's account placed the finish at the end of an innings in which Pakistan had been close to defeat, and dwelt on the nerve of the closing overs with the last pair together. That report did not, in the portion available, give England's total or the target, and the other outlets' headlines and standfirstes carried no scores either.

Shadab, a leg-spinning all-rounder who has played for Pakistan in all three formats, had not previously made a century in one-day internationals, according to the Express Tribune and ProPakistani. The PCB's headline described the win as "stunning".

The match was the fourth of the tri-series. Neither the PCB nor the reporting outlets named Pakistan's opponent in the final in the material available.