McCullum believes England can learn from Shadab's knock

England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum admitted his side have significant areas to address after suffering a second consecutive defeat in the ongoing ODI tri-series, with Pakistan producing a remarkable comeback in Lahore on Sunday.

England appeared firmly in control after reducing Pakistan to 154 for 9 while defending a target of 242. However, Shadab Khan’s unbeaten 113, supported by Haris Rauf in a decisive last-wicket partnership, turned the contest around and condemned England to another disappointing loss.

The defeat followed England’s inability to defend 429 against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, raising further questions about their performances under pressure ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa.

What did McCullum make of England’s defeat?

McCullum described his players as 'gutted' after another setback, acknowledging that England must address their shortcomings if they hope to compete for the World Cup.

England’s total of 241 against Pakistan was below the required standard, according to their coach. However, their inability to dismiss the final two batters proved equally costly as Shadab and Rauf capitalised on the opportunity to complete an extraordinary chase.

The England coach also highlighted Shadab’s composure and tactical awareness, particularly given the pressure of batting alongside the tail.

“I thought it was an incredibly poised innings that was full of cricket intelligence. And also I thought his ability to be able to manipulate his way to get enough access to the ball as he could, batting alongside the tail, was a great example for our boys who are still young and inexperienced," he said.

What lessons can England learn from Shadab’s innings?

Shadab’s unbeaten century was only the third ODI hundred by a batter coming in at number eight, underlining the significance of his contribution to Pakistan’s victory.

McCullum believes England’s younger players can learn from how the all-rounder managed the chase, maintained his composure and found opportunities to score despite the pressure of losing wickets.

"I thought it [tonight] was another great lesson for us, if you are behind the game and you're chasing, how are you able to manufacture a way for your set batter to get as much access to the ball as possible and still remain calm, and ultimately put the opposition under pressure down the back end of the game. So there are some good lessons there. There's some good learning opportunities. And we will learn from it. Because we are desperate to get to South Africa and be a realistic chance of challenging for that World Cup," McCullum said.

Why did Nasser Hussain praise Pakistan?

Former England captain Nasser Hussain also credited Pakistan for their comeback, highlighting the partnership between Shadab and Rauf as the turning point.

“You've got to give Pakistan credit, and Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf. That partnership, you had to be really switched on and smart how you played it, and the moment they changed intent, the moment Shadab said, ‘Right, we've gone one way, it's gone nowhere, we're going to play our shots,’ there's a lesson to be learned because they should have learned it from the last game,” Hussain said.

What concerned Hussain about England’s performances?

Hussain pointed to England’s repeated struggles when opponents applied pressure, drawing parallels between their defeat to Sri Lanka and the collapse against Pakistan.

“When England were put under pressure, they crumbled. When England were put under pressure here at the end, they crumbled. Brilliant change of intent from Shadab Khan. That game had gone from them to one individual, backed up by Haris Rauf, to bring it back. Incredible run change,” he added.