In just two matches, Pakistan has quickly emerged as a formidable threat to all nine of its ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 competitors. Following their convincing victory over the Netherlands, Pakistan showcased their dominance on Tuesday night in Hyderabad, when they successfully chased down a target of 345 against Sri Lanka, securing a win by six wickets with 10 balls to spare. This monumental achievement shattered the previous record for the highest successful World Cup chase, surpassing Ireland’s 328 against England in 2011.
Remarkably, this marks the second instance in the past two years that Pakistan has successfully chased down a target exceeding 340 runs. In 2021, they achieved a target of 349 set by Australia, marking their highest successful chase at the time.
Fast forward two years and six months, and they repeated this remarkable feat against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, handing Sri Lanka their eighth defeat against Pakistan in World Cup history. This incredible winning streak now stands as the longest in World Cup history, surpassing India’s 7-0 lead over Pakistan.
The remarkable statistics and accomplishments don’t end there. Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 131 runs, which guided the chase alongside fellow centurion Abdullah Shafique after Pakistan stumbled to 37/2 within the first 8 overs, stands as the highest score ever by a Pakistan wicketkeeper in ODIs.
This feat surpassed the previous record held by Kamran Akmal, who scored 124 against West Indies in Brisbane in 2005. Rizwan’s performance also ranks as the second-highest score ever by a Pakistan batsman in World Cup history, surpassing Ramiz Raja’s 119 not out against New Zealand in 1992. The top position is still occupied by Imran Nazir, who scored 160 against Zimbabwe in Kingston, West Indies.
Pakistan’s Tight Death Bowling Restricted Sri Lanka
Despite Sri Lanka’s strong start, accumulating 344/9 while batting first, with centuries from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama setting them on course to reach at least 370 runs, Pakistan’s tight death bowling, featuring a four-wicket haul from Hasan Ali and a two-wicket last over from Haris Rauf, offered hope. Even with six wickets in hand, Sri Lanka managed to score only 61 runs in the final 10 overs, a crucial point in the match that severely hampered their chances.
Abdullah Shafique, who replaced the struggling Fakhar Zaman, made an immediate impact by scoring his maiden ODI century, shifting the momentum in favour of Pakistan. Despite an early fall for Imam-ul-Haq and the significant setback of captain Babar Azam’s dismissal, Shafique and Rizwan formed a formidable partnership of 176 runs, effectively taking the game away from Sri Lanka.
Shafique reached his maiden ODI century in just 58 balls, after which Rizwan accelerated and completed his third ODI century in 97 deliveries. Shafique was eventually dismissed for 113, but Rizwan remained at the crease and scored the winning runs. The two catches dropped by Sri Lanka in the 43rd over off Maheesh Theekshana proved to be the final blows to their hopes of victory.
Pakistan will now face their arch-rivals India on 14th October at the Narendra Modi International Stadium, Ahmedabad. They will look forward to ending India’s 7-0 winning streak against them in World Cup matches.
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In just two matches, Pakistan has quickly emerged as a formidable threat to all nine of its ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 competitors. Following their convincing victory over the Netherlands, Pakistan showcased their dominance on Tuesday night in Hyderabad, when they successfully chased down a target of 345 against Sri Lanka, securing a win by
The post IND Vs PAK: Pakistan Smash World Records In Incredible Win Against Sri Lanka appeared first on CricketAddictor.
