Pakistan make History as they Beat Sri-Lanka in CWC’23

As mentioned in our recent Blog, Sri Lanka orchestrated a remarkable turnaround following their previous encounter with South Africa. They posted an impressive 344 on the scoreboard against a somewhat rudderless Pakistani bowling attack, a performance mirrored by equally lackluster fielding but who knew that Pakistan would make History by Beating Sri-Lanka.

Rauf, once again, proved his mettle, concluding the innings with style. Wellalage, in an attempt to secure a boundary on the final ball, only found Shafique at cover.

Samarawickrama couldn’t hide his elation at finally notching an ODI hundred. He went on to share insights about the pitch, mentioning that it initially played favorably but became trickier with time, offering variations in bounce and grip.

Sri Lanka struck a significant blow, just as Pakistan was trying to find its footing. Left-armed Madushanka sent a full ball down the legside, and Babar, in an attempt to glance it, found himself caught by Samarawickrama, leaving him with a mere 10 runs from 15 balls.

Rizwan, on the other hand, took charge, slicing the first ball of the over hard for four, marking his fourth 50 in Pakistan’s last five ODIs. This achievement, achieved in 58 deliveries, heaped pressure on Pathirana, who returned to the attack after an expensive previous spell.

Debut Century:

Abdullah joined the spectacle, sending a cut over backward point for four, taking him to 99 with three singles. In a breathtaking moment, he slammed a pull through midwicket for four off Madushanka, ultimately taking 97 balls to reach his century. It was a stunning performance and a magnificent World Cup debut.

The centurion’s incredible innings ended at 113. Dushan, on as a substitute, pulled off a stunning two-handed catch at backward point, fully stretched to his right, to grab Abdullah’s powerfully struck cut. Rizwan’s century was truly extraordinary in many aspects.

Player of the match Rizwan:

Rizwan, despite the fatigue and cramping, managed to claim the Player of the Match trophy. He spoke at the post-match ceremony, expressing his pride in performing for his country, especially in such a challenging chase. The entire team believed they could achieve this victory from the dressing room.

Rizwan reached his century with a single fine of mid-wicket, although his innings was mostly characterized by confident and destructive shots. His limping journey to the hundred will be etched in memory for a long time.

Record:

Pakistan pulled off a record chase at a World Cup, an astonishing feat. It was fitting that Rizwan drove the ball for the winning runs. This incredible effort, defying fatigue and physical strain, deserved a standing ovation. Pakistan’s performance left everyone in awe, considering they had just achieved the first-ever successful chase of 345 runs at a World Cup.

Next up for Pakistan is a likely top-of-the-table clash with India in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Their 2019 encounter at the group stage was one of the most-watched matches of the tournament, and this upcoming clash promises to be even more thrilling, regardless of India’s performance against Afghanistan tomorrow.

As for Sri Lanka, they face an uphill battle after two initial defeats in the tournament.