Pakistan secured their second consecutive victory in the World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique showcased their impressive batting skills as Pakistan triumphed with a six-wicket win.
In a historic feat, the Green Shirts successfully chased down a massive target of 345 runs against Sri Lanka. This accomplishment surpassed Ireland’s previous record for the highest-ever run chase in the history of ODI World Cups.
Pakistan faced early setbacks as they lost their top-order batsmen, Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam, within just 7.1 overs, leaving them at 37-2. However, the partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and the World Cup debutant, Abdullah Shafique, turned the tide in favor of the struggling Pakistani side.
The remarkable 176-run partnership between these two batsmen provided the much-needed stability and re-established Pakistan’s dominance in the match.
Abdullah Shafique returned to the pavilion after an outstanding performance, scoring 113 off 103 balls, including 10 fours and three sixes. On the other hand, Rizwan continued to anchor the innings and led Pakistan to victory with his impressive 131-run innings, marking Pakistan’s second-highest individual score in a World Cup, surpassing Ramiz Raja’s 119 against New Zealand in 1992.
This extraordinary win is a significant confidence boost for the Pakistani team as they gear up for the highly-anticipated match against arch-rivals India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14.
In their innings, Sri Lanka posted an imposing total of 344 runs, thanks to the outstanding batting display by Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama. This total became the highest-ever score against Pakistan in a World Cup match, surpassing India’s 336 in the 2019 World Cup in England.
Kusal Mendis led the charge with a remarkable 122 runs off 77 deliveries, boasting an impressive strike rate of 158.44, including 14 fours and six sixes. Samarawickrama continued the momentum and reached a century, scoring 108 runs in 89 balls with 13 boundaries.
Looking ahead, Pakistan is set to face India on October 14, while Sri Lanka will clash with Australia on October 16 in Lucknow.
Here are the playing XIs:
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka.
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
