PAK vs BAN Review: Pakistan’s World Cup back on track as they knock Bangladesh out
The 31st match of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 was held at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata, where Pakistan and Bangladesh faced off. Babar Azam and men emerged as the winners to knock Bangladesh out of the semi-finals reckoning officially.
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first and their batting performance was a usual disappointment. With only four batters reaching double digits, none of whom were able to convert their starts into substantial scores. They got off to a shocking start as Shaheen Afridi struck twice early in the innings, surpassing 100 ODI wickets. He first trapped Tanzim Hasan LBW with an inswinger. Then, he got Najmul Hossain Shanto with a catch to short mid-wicket, giving Pakistan the early advantage.
Haris Rauf dealt a significant blow as Mushfiqur Rahim, after hitting a glorious boundary on the off-side, nicked one behind. Later, Mahmudullah and Shakib stitched a partnership to stabilize the innings, but they were both dismissed in quick succession. Mahmudullah scored 56 while Shakib scored 43. In the end, Shaheen Afridi took three wickets, Mohammad Wasim Jr also took three wickets, and Haris Rauf took two wickets to bowl Bangladesh out for a low score of 204.
Chasing the target, Pakistani openers Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique had a brilliant start to their inning, scoring 128 runs for the first wicket. Abdullah was then dismissed after scoring 68, while Fakhar Zaman, making a comeback to the team, scored 81 off 74 balls. Captain Babar Azam was dismissed cheaply, but Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed stood together and helped their team cross the finishing line as Pakistan chased down the target in 32.3 overs, winning the match by seven wickets.
Top Performers of the Match
Fakhar Zaman (81 of 74)
Fakhar Zaman faced pressure to perform in this match. He had been heavily criticized for his lacklustre performances in the tournament. However, he showcased his brilliance with the bat, scoring a solid 81 off 74 balls. His innings included three fours and seven sixes, and laid the foundation for the other batters to easily chase down the total.
Shaheen Afridi (3/23, 9 overs)
Shaheen Afridi has been in excellent form throughout the tournament, leading the wicket-taking charts. In this match as well, he bowled brilliantly, taking three important wickets. He ceased the Bangladeshi batters from posting a big total. He also completed his 100 wickets milestone in ODIs during this match.
What next?
Going ahead, Pakistan will play against New Zealand on November 4. While Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka on November 6.
