In a stunning display of batting prowess, Pakistan achieved a record-breaking victory over Sri Lanka in the Cricket World Cup, further solidifying their dominance in the tournament. Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique emerged as the heroes of the day, both scoring centuries as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in a historic run chase.
The target set by Sri Lanka was a formidable 345 runs, but Pakistan managed to reach this goal in just 48.2 overs on Tuesday. Rizwan’s unbeaten 131 and Shafique’s brilliant 113 not only secured the victory but also surpassed the previous record chase of 328 runs set by Ireland in the 2011 World Cup when they stunned England.
Sri Lanka had showcased their batting prowess earlier in the match, with Kusal Mendis smashing the fastest century for Sri Lanka in a World Cup match, reaching 122 runs. Sadeera Samarawickrama also made a significant contribution with his 89-ball 108.
Pakistan’s victory in this match extends their flawless World Cup record against Sri Lanka to 8-0. With two victories under their belt, including wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, Pakistan is now gearing up for a marquee clash against archrivals India in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has been plagued by bowling problems in the World Cup and also suffered a defeat in their opening game against South Africa, who scored a whopping 428 runs against them.
The remarkable centuries by Shafique and Rizwan, characterized by eight fours and three sixes from Rizwan’s bat, overshadowed Mendis’s explosive 77-ball 122 and Samarawickrama’s century. These outstanding performances from the Sri Lankan batsmen had propelled their team to a formidable total of 344-9 on a day when bowlers from both sides struggled on a perfect batting pitch.
Mendis and Samarawickrama displayed aggressive batting in the middle overs, forming a crucial 111-run third-wicket partnership off just 69 balls. Mendis took advantage of two early dropped catches inside the powerplay, including a sharp return catch that eluded off-colour Shaheen Afridi and a point chance that slipped through Imam-ul-Haq’s fingers.
Mendis’s innings featured 14 fours and six sixes, including a spectacular flicked six over mid-wicket against Pakistan’s top bowler of the day, Hasan Ali, who claimed 4-71. This boundary brought up Mendis’s century in just 65 balls.
Samarawickrama continued the onslaught after Mendis was caught by Imam at mid-wicket. Despite Samarawickrama reaching his century, Pakistan managed to pull back in the final 10 overs, with Haris Rauf taking two crucial wickets in the last over.
Pakistan faced a slow start to their chase, with Dilshan Madushanka taking key wickets during the powerplay, including the dismissal of Imam and captain Babar Azam. However, Shafique and Rizwan then launched Pakistan’s second-highest-ever run chase in an ODI. Sri Lankan bowlers, especially Matheesha Pathirana, struggled with wayward deliveries and ended up conceding 1-90.
Reflecting on the remarkable victory, Mohammad Rizwan expressed his pride in performing for his country and emphasized the significance of a strong partnership in their successful chase.
Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, acknowledged the impressive performances of Mendis and Samarawickrama but lamented missed opportunities in the field.
In another World Cup clash earlier in Dharamsala, England bounced back from their tournament opener loss to New Zealand with a convincing victory over Bangladesh. Dawid Malan’s century, scoring 140 off 107 balls, set the stage for England’s triumph as they reached a total of 364-9. Left-arm pacer Reece Topley played a vital role, taking 4-43 as England bowled out Bangladesh for 227 in 48.2 overs. This victory marked England’s fourth-largest win by runs in World Cup history.
England’s strong start was propelled by a 115-run partnership between Malan and Jonny Bairstow, who contributed 52 runs. Malan’s century was his fifth ODI hundred, and he reached his century off 91 balls. After reaching this milestone, he accelerated his scoring, adding 40 runs off just 16 balls.
Reflecting on his performance, Dawid Malan expressed his satisfaction with his performance and his determination to excel in this format.
Both England and Bangladesh now have two points each in the tournament, having secured victories in their respective games.
