England let this one go by losing their grip on the plan once victory looked close. Pakistan stood at 154-9 in the 34th over with 88 still to find, and the contest appeared entirely settled. Then the final pair at the crease added an unbroken 89 off 80 balls, hauling the chase to 243-9 against a target of 242. Henry Crocombe bowled the delivery that was hit for the winning boundary, and England’s tournament, now without a point from three games, hangs by a thread.
The Chase That Looked Finished
The early overs went England’s way. Fakhar, Saim and Babar were all gone by the seventh over with only 31 on the board, and Baig followed at 74 after 12 overs. Nawaz and Minhas then fell at 102 and 103 within a handful of balls, which left Pakistan five down and the chase in disarray.
From there the slide carried on. Salman went at 122, Shaheen at 131 and Razaullah at 154, so four wickets cost Pakistan only 52 runs after Nawaz departed. The ninth dismissal arrived with 88 still needed, a gap England had every reason to expect their attack to close.
Batter out | Score | Over |
|---|---|---|
Fakhar | 18 | 4.4 |
Saim | 27 | 6.0 |
Babar | 31 | 6.5 |
Baig | 74 | 12.0 |
Nawaz | 102 | 22.4 |
Minhas | 103 | 23.1 |
Salman | 122 | 28.3 |
Shaheen | 131 | 30.0 |
Razaullah | 154 | 33.5 |
Final total | 243-9 | 47.1 |
Pakistan Tri Series 2026 England Last Wicket
The closing partnership turned a certain loss into a Pakistani win. It produced 89 unbeaten runs across 13.2 overs, a stand of 80 balls that lifted the score from 154-9 to 243-9. England needed one clean breakthrough and never found it, while the pair kept the scoreboard moving at better than a run a ball.
Crocombe was the bowler on duty when the winning boundary arrived, and he finished with 1-57 from 6.1 overs. England’s own 242-9 had looked defensible until that stand took it apart. A total that should have been protected became the platform for a one-wicket defeat.
A Bowling Attack Out of Balance
Jamie Overton and Liam Dawson did the heavy lifting, sharing five wickets for 73 runs across 20 overs. Dawson’s ten overs cost only 30, while Overton collected three scalps for 43. Those two kept the scoring in check for most of the innings.
The remaining four bowlers were far more expensive, conceding 169 runs in 27.1 overs between them for four wickets. Atkinson went for 62 in nine overs and Crocombe for 57 in 6.1, and Sam Curran’s eight overs brought 32 runs but no wicket. Once the target shrank, England had too few reliable overs left to squeeze a tailender out.
Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
Jamie Overton | 10 | 43 | 3 |
Liam Dawson | 10 | 30 | 2 |
Gus Atkinson | 9 | 62 | 2 |
Sam Curran | 8 | 32 | 0 |
Henry Crocombe | 6.1 | 57 | 1 |
Will Jacks | 4 | 18 | 1 |
Reviews and Missed Chances
One moment captures the tone of the night. Shadab was given out lbw to Atkinson off a low full toss with 21 still needed, but he asked for a review and replays showed an inside edge. That reprieve cancelled what would have been the tenth wicket, so the game carried on instead of ending in England’s favour.
Banton also let a run-out opportunity against Rauf go begging, another sliver of daylight that England failed to use. When a result is decided by a single wicket, each of these half-chances weighs as much as a whole session of tidy bowling.
A Tournament Slipping Away
This was England’s third defeat in three games. A heavy 87-run defeat to Pakistan on 20 October was followed by a two-wicket loss to Sri Lanka on 22 October and a one-wicket loss on 25 October. Pakistan have won all three matches for six points, Sri Lanka have two from two games, and England are still waiting for their first.
Elimination is not yet official, but a Sri Lanka win over Pakistan on 27 October would end their hopes. England then meet Sri Lanka on 29 October, with the final set for 31 October, all in Lahore, and the memory they carry into that game is the Pakistan tri-series 2026 England last-wicket failure, a defeat decided by a single wicket.
Was this a bowling failure or a planning failure? Drop your verdict in the comments and tell us which England call you would have changed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many runs did Pakistan need when the ninth wicket fell?
Pakistan still needed 88 runs when Razaullah became the ninth wicket to fall at 154. The unbeaten final pair then scored 89 off 80 balls to finish on 243-9 against a target of 242.
Which England bowlers took wickets against Pakistan?
Jamie Overton took three wickets, while Liam Dawson and Gus Atkinson claimed two each. Henry Crocombe and Will Jacks took one apiece, and Sam Curran went wicketless from eight overs.
What does the ODI tri-series points table look like?
Pakistan lead with six points from three wins, followed by Sri Lanka on two and England on zero. England have played three games without a win, while Sri Lanka have won one of their two.
Is England out of the ODI tri-series?
Not officially, but they are all but gone. A Sri Lanka victory over Pakistan on 27 October would end their hopes, and they have lost all three of their matches so far.
When is the ODI tri-series final?
The final is on 31 October 2026 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Before it, Pakistan faces Sri Lanka on 27 October, and Sri Lanka meet England on 29 October, also in Lahore.