World Cup 2023: Pakistan snap losing streak and knock Bangladesh out of semi-finals race
Pakistan snapped their four-match losing streak in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to knock Bangladesh out of the race for the semi-finals.
Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 7 wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, October 31. With this win, Pakistan leapfrogged Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to move up to fifth place in the World Cup 2023 points table. As for Bangladesh, they succumbed to their sixth defeat in the competition and remained stuck in ninth position in the points table.
SHAHEEN AFRIDI ROCKS BANGLADESH
After being put to bowl first, Shaheen Shah Afridi got Pakistan off to a perfect start, sending Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan back to the pavilion in the very first over. With this dismissal, Afridi became the fastest pacer to pick 100 wickets in ODIs, shattering the previous record set by Australia fast-bowler Mitchell Starc. He came back in the third over to dismiss Najmul Shanto, who continued his dismal form in the tournament..
Harid Rauf joined the party in the powerplay, getting rid of the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim in the sixth over to leave Bangladesh reeling at 23 for 3. Opener Litton Das and former skipper Mahmudullah pulled the game back for the Bangla Tigers, stitching a carefully curated 79-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Litton fell short of his 13th ODI half-century, being dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed after scoring 45 runs off 64 balls. Mahmudullah went on to complete his 28th ODI fifty before being dismissed by Afridi. Mahmudullah scored a 70-ball 56, to take his run-tally to 274 runs in five innings in this World Cup.
Towhid Hridoy continued to disappoint with the bat, falling after scoring seven runs as Bangladesh found themselves reeling at 140 for 6. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan formed a 45-run stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz before being dismissed by Rauf after scoring 43 runs off 64 deliveries.
Then pacer Mohammad Wasim Junior took over and ran through Bangladesh’s tail, dismissing Miraz, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman to bowl the Bangla Tigers out for 204 runs in 45.1 overs.
ZAMAN, SHAFIQUE GET PAKISTAN OFF TO FLYER
Pakistan opening batters Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman got Pakistan off to a perfect start in the second innings. Zaman, who replaced Imam-ul-Haq for this match, slammed his 16th ODI half-century, while raining sixes at the Eden Gardens.
Meanwhile, Shafique also brought up his fourth ODI fifty as the two openers went hell for leather against Bangladesh. The two batters formed a 128-run partnership for the opening wicket, before Shafique fell at the hands of Miraz in the 22nd over. Shafique scored 68 runs off 69 balls, smashing nine boundaries and two sixes.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam failed to fire with the bat, as Miraz struck in the 27th over to send him back to the pavilion. However, Zaman continued his onslaught, keeping the pressure on the Bangla Tigers.
He missed out on his 11th ODI century, being dismissed by Miraz after scoring 87 runs off 74 deliveries, hitting three boundaries and seven maximums.
Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed finished the game off for Pakistan, getting to the 205-run target in 32.3 overs. With this result, Pakistan registered their third win in the 2023 World Cup.
Pakistan will now take on New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on November 4 in what promises to be a mouth-watering encounter. As for Bangladesh, they will look to bounce back against Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on November 5.