ICC ODI World Cup 2023: In the 31st match of the tournament, Pakistan secured their place in the semi-finals with a convincing 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
The contest took place at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, where Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, won the toss and opted to bat.
Bangladesh, batting first, was bowled out for 204 runs in the 46th over, with Mahmoodullah standing out by scoring 56 runs. Pakistan comfortably chased down the target of 205 runs in the 33rd over, losing just 3 wickets. Fakhar Zaman’s exceptional performance was the highlight, as he scored 81 runs, including 7 sixes.
This win marks Pakistan’s third triumph in the ongoing World Cup, while Bangladesh’s hopes for a semi-final spot have been extinguished after their defeat to Pakistan. In their seven World Cup encounters, Pakistan has now won three matches, while Bangladesh has only managed to secure one victory.
On the flip side, Pakistan will need to depend on the outcomes of other matches to ensure their place in the semi-finals, as they have two more matches to play.
Team Changes:
Captain Babar Azam expressed his preference to win the toss and bat during the toss. For this crucial match, three alterations were made to the Pakistani team: Fakhar Zaman replaced Imamul Haq, Salman Ali Agha took the place of Muhammad Nawaz, and Osama Mir substituted for Shadab Khan.
Points Table:
In the group stage of the ICC World Cup, the current points table reveals India leading the pack, followed by South Africa in second place, New Zealand in third, and Australia in fourth.
Following their victory against Bangladesh, Pakistan has climbed to the fifth position in the points table with 6 points.
It’s important to note that the top four teams at the conclusion of the group stage will advance to the semi-finals.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
