Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique displayed their cricketing prowess, each notching up remarkable centuries. This dynamic duo propelled Pakistan to a record-breaking successful chase, marking a historic moment in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history as they triumphed over Sri Lanka in a thrilling encounter in Hyderabad.
Sri Lanka, buoyed by a sensational Kusal Mendis century and anchored by Sadeera Samarawickrama’s brilliant ton, set a formidable target of 344/9 in their opening innings.
At one point, Pakistan seemed in trouble as they lost Babar Azam in the eighth over with only 37/2 on the board. However, Shafique and Rizwan rallied together, forming an impressive partnership of 176 runs for the third wicket. They ultimately sealed a remarkable six-wicket victory with 10 balls to spare.
This historic match witnessed an unprecedented occurrence, with four centuries recorded in a single men’s Cricket World Cup game, with Pakistan emerging victorious in this high-scoring thriller.
Pakistan’s chase faced an initial setback when Imam-ul-Haq (1) and Babar (10) were dismissed during a sluggish first powerplay, courtesy of Dilshan Madushanka’s bowling.
Nevertheless, Pakistan regrouped and built a solid foundation. Shafique reached a memorable century, his first in ODI cricket, with a barrage of boundaries, including 13 fours, during his 103-ball 113.
Pakistan had previously never chased a score exceeding 340 in ODI history, and their highest World Cup chase was 263. Consequently, they needed a record-breaking effort to secure their second win of the tournament.
Rizwan, despite battling cramps at one point during his exceptional innings, guided Pakistan to the highest-ever chase in World Cup history. The wicketkeeper fittingly struck the winning runs, concluding his innings at 131* from 121 deliveries.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, won the toss, opted to bat first, and watched as his team posted the highest-ever total conceded by Pakistan in an ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match.
Kusal Mendis stood out once again for Sri Lanka, delivering a majestic century with powerful strokes, giving his team a phenomenal start to their innings. Sadeera Samarawickrama also played a pivotal role, contributing an excellent century of his own with 108 runs from 89 balls.
Sri Lanka encountered early trouble as they lost Kusal Perera without scoring, courtesy of exceptional bowling by Hasan Ali. Mendis, however, countered Pakistan’s attack, smashing an impressive 122 from 77 balls, featuring 20 boundaries, including six sixes.
Pathum Nissanka (51) provided valuable support, and Samarawickrama helped Sri Lanka cross the 300-run mark. Hasan Ali returned to claim the crucial wickets of Mendis and Charith Asalanka (1) in quick succession, exposing Sri Lanka’s lower-middle order.
Samarawickrama reached his century as Sri Lanka pushed their total further, but Hasan claimed his fourth wicket as Samarawickrama attempted a reverse pull shot, leaving Sri Lanka at a score of 344/9. Hasan finished with figures of 4/71, and Pakistan’s disciplined bowling in the later stages proved crucial.
Suffering such a loss will undoubtedly be disheartening for Sri Lanka, who had previously been defeated by South Africa in their tournament opener.
In contrast, Pakistan remains undefeated in the Cricket World Cup, with this extraordinary triumph following their impressive victory over the Netherlands in their first match.
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