Shadab Khan has admitted he had no idea he edged the ball when he was given lbw on 97 against England. He only reviewed because Haris Rauf pushed him into it, and that review turned what looked like an England win into a one-wicket Pakistan victory in Lahore on 25 October 2026.
Pakistan needed 21 runs with one wicket left when a full delivery from Gus Atkinson struck Shadab low in front of the stumps. The umpire raised his finger, Shadab started walking off, and players from both sides began shaking hands. The broadcast even flashed England as winners by 20 runs.
Rauf rushed over and urged his partner to review. UltraEdge found a faint inside edge, the decision was overturned, and Shadab went on to finish unbeaten on 113.
The edge saved the match. What nearly lost it was a batter’s instinct to walk at the one moment a review costs nothing.
After the match, Shadab explained that his mind was nowhere near the dismissal:
“I was more frustrated about missing the boundary because I felt I could have hit a boundary on that delivery, considering the field they had set. I, honestly, did not have any idea that I had hit the ball.”
Shadab Khan, speaking to reporters after the match, 25 October 2026
He also said who made the call:
“And of course, I did not only miss the boundary but also ended up getting out because of which the match ended. There was a bit of frustration upon not crossing the line despite bringing the match close. And, of course, Haris was also frustrated which he took out on me and compelled me to take the review.”
Shadab Khan, speaking to reporters after the match, 25 October 2026
“I, honestly, did not have any idea that I had hit the ball”
Shadab Khan nearly didn’t take that review 😮 https://t.co/XsoLNBzNSk
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) October 26, 2026
Insider Read
At nine wickets down, a review has nothing left to protect. If it fails, the match ends exactly as it would have anyway, so it is the one moment in cricket where reviewing is a free decision. Every batter knows that in the dressing room, and out in the middle it disappears.
When the finger goes up after a ball you were sure hit you in front, the walk starts before the thinking does. Shadab’s own words show where his head was: on the field and the boundary he missed, not on whether the ball touched the bat. Rauf, watching from the other end without that weight, saw the one thing Shadab could not: the review was free.
What Shadab’s Review Saved
Pakistan were 154-9 chasing 242 when Rauf joined Shadab. The pair added an unbroken 89, and Rauf hit debutant Henry Crocombe for the winning boundary with 17 balls to spare.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Shadab’s score | 113* off 96 balls, his maiden ODI century |
| Highest ODI score by a No. 8 | 113* |
| Highest last-wicket stand in a successful ODI chase | 89* |
| Rauf’s share | 7* off 19 balls |
The win sent Pakistan into the tri-series final.
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