HDYERABAD, 10 Oct: Mohammad Rizwan and opening batter Abdullah Shafique hit centuries Tuesday as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in a record run-chase at the Cricket World Cup.
Chasing a target of 345, Rizwan played with a pulled right calf and scored an unbeaten 131 off 121 balls. Shafique, replacing out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, scored 113 to help Pakistan reach 345-4 in 48.2 overs.
Pakistan stretched its World Cup record against Sri Lanka to 8-0 as has four points from two victories. Pakistan have beaten both the qualifiers — the Netherlands and Sri Lanka — going into the marquee game against rival India in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Sri Lanka has had plenty of bowling problems at the World Cup. The team also lost its opening game against South Africa, which scored 428 runs against the Sri Lankans.
Pakistan’s big chase surpassed Ireland’s previous Cricket World Cup record when it made 329-7 to beat England in 2011.
The hundreds from Shafique and Rizwan, who hit eight fours and three sixes, overshadowed Kusal Mendis’ 77-ball 122 and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 108 — maiden ODI hundreds that pushed Sri Lanka’s total to 344-9 on a day when bowlers got walloped from both sides on a perfect batting pitch.
Mendis and Samarawickrama showed plenty of aggression in the middle overs with a 111-run third-wicket stand off 69 balls.
Mendis capitalized on two early dropped catches inside the powerplay when first off-color Shaheen Afridi (1-66) couldn’t hold onto a sharp return catch and Imam-ul-Haq dropped a sharp chance at point. Mendis hit 14 fours and six sixes, including a flicked six over midwicket against Pakistan’s best bowler of the day — Hasan Ali (4-71) — that brought up his century off 65 balls.
Samarawickrama took charge after Mendis holed out to a well-judged catch by Imam at mid-wicket fence. Pakistan pulled back in the final 10 overs despite Samrawickrama raising his century with Haris Rauf (2-64) picking up both his wickets in the final over.
Pakistan had a sluggish start to the chase when Dilshan Madushanka got the key wickets in the powerplay as Imam pulled to fine leg and captain Babar Azam (10) edged a leg side flick to the wicketkeeper.
Shafique and Rizwan then began Pakistan’s second highest ever run-chase in an ODI as Sri Lankan bowlers like Matheesha Pathirana sprayed plenty of wayward deliveries with his slingy action to end up with 1-90.
In the earlier game in Dharamsala, Dawid Malan’s century set up England’s first win when it beat Bangladesh by 137runs.
Malan scored 140 off 107 balls — his fifth ODI hundred — as England reached 364-9 to bounce back from losing to New Zealand in the tournament opener. Left-arm pacer Reece Topley returned figures of 4-43 as England bowled out Bangladesh for 227 in 48.2 overs.
It was England’s fourth biggest win by runs in World Cup history.
Put in to bat, England made a strong start as Malan and Jonny Bairstow (52) shared 115 runs for the first wicket. Shakib Al Hasan bowled Bairstow, but Malan and Joe Root added 151 runs for the second wicket.
Malan hit 16 fours and five sixes overall, and reached his hundred off 91 balls. After the landmark, he cut loose to score 40 off only 16 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes.
“It was fantastic to put in a performance like this and win a game (for the team). Hopefully my form will continue ahead,” Malan said. “With Root at three, it allows us to play freely. I am desperate to do well in this format and prove a point.”
Root also scored quickly, reaching 50 off 44 balls. Overall, he hit 82 off 68 balls, including eight fours and a six, as he continues to rediscover his form. (AP)