Numerous records smashed as Pakistan mow down 345 to create World Cup history, go 8-0 up against Sri Lanka
In just two matches, Pakistan have emerged as a serious threat to all nine oppositions and their ambition of winning the World Cup 2023.
If their win against Netherlands wasn’t emphatic enough, Pakistan took their ruthlessness to a whole new level Tuesday night when they gunned down a target of 345 against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad and won the contest by six wickets and with 10 balls to spare. With this herculean achievement, Pakistan shattered the record of the highest successful World Cup chase, piping Ireland’s 328 against England in 2011.
This is the second time in two years that Pakistan have successfully chased down a target of 340-plus. In 2021, they overhauled a target of 349 set by Australia, their highest successful chase of all time and two years and six months later, they did it again last night in Hyderabad, handing Sri Lanka their 8th defeat against Pakistan in World Cups. It is now the single-biggest winning streak in World Cup, pushing India’s 7-0 lead over Pakistan to second.
The stats and trivia do not end there. Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 131, that shepherded the chase along fellow-centurion Abdullah Shafique after their team was reduced to 37/2 inside 8 overs, is also the highest score ever by a Pakistan wicketkeeper in ODIs. The previous best was Kamran Akmal’s 124 against West Indies in Brisbane of 2005. It is also the second-highest score ever by a Pakistan batter at the World Cups, surpassing Rami Raja’s 119 not out against New Zealand in 1992. Imran Nazir’s 160 against Zimbabwe in Kingston, West Indies, sits comfortably at the top.
Pakistan looked to be in for a horror day when Sri Lanka, batting first, belted 344/9. Centuries from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama put them well on course to out a minimum of 370 runs on the board. But some tight death-bowling from Pakistan, which saw Hasan Ali finish with four wickets and Haris Rauf bowling a two-wicket last over, offered Pakistan hope. Even with six wickets in hand, Sri Lanka could only manage 61 runs in the final 10 overs, a point in the match which proved detrimental to their chances.
Abdullah Shafique, the replacement for a struggling Fakhar Zaman, made an impact immediately, registering his maiden ODI century to take the fight back to Sri Lanka. Despite Imam-ul-Haq falling cheaply and Pakistan dealt a huge blow in the form of captain Babar Azam’s early dismissal, Shafique and Rizwan batted Sri Lanka out of the game with a 176-run partnership. It took Shafique just 58 balls to raise his maiden ODI century, after which Rizwan picked up pace took and competed his 3rd ODI ton off 97 deliveries. Shafique was eventually dismissed for 113, but Rizwan stayed till the end and hit the winning runs. That Sri Lanka dropped two catches in the 43rd over off Maheesh Theekshana was the final nail in their coffin.