BAN 204 (45.1)
PAK 205/3 (32.3)
Pakistan won by 7 wkts
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Fakhar Zaman
Cricbuzzteam, PAK vs BAN, Bangladesh’s woes persist, with six consecutive losses that have officially eliminated them from the semi-final contention. Their campaign has indeed been one to forget. In contrast, Pakistan put an end to their four-match losing streak in a spectacular fashion. They not only secured victory but also significantly improved their Net Run Rate (NRR), propelling them to the fifth position in the tournament standings. As the curtains fall on this intense all-Asian clash, cricket fans can look forward to tomorrow’s exciting match between New Zealand (ranked #3) and South Africa (ranked #2).”
Babar Azam: All credit to the boys the way we played in all three departments. We know, if Fakhar bats for 20-30 overs, it’s a different ball game, he played his natural game. Good to see him. We are trying to win the next two matches, we’ll see where we stand. We started well, the way Shaheen started. After 15-20 overs, they built a partnership, our main bowlers picked wickets. We picked wickets in the middle overs. Thank you (fans) so much for the support.
Shakib Al Hasan lamented, “Our struggle with scoring runs continues. Although the pitch conditions were favorable, we lost early wickets once again. While we managed to build some partnerships, they weren’t substantial enough to make a significant impact. It’s been a disappointment for us with the bat. Credit must be given to Pakistan for their exceptional performance in both bowling and batting during the first 10 overs of the game.”
When asked about his batting position, Shakib admitted, “We’ll have to reconsider that. The top four batsmen haven’t been contributing enough runs, and I was part of that top order. I was experiencing a low in confidence, and my performance reflected that. Fortunately, I managed to score some runs recently, and I’m feeling more confident now. However, making too many changes at this moment could be challenging. We need to keep pushing forward as a team, aiming for collective success, which has been elusive. With two more matches ahead, we hope to stage a comeback. Our fans have been unwavering in their support, and we owe it to them to bring back the smiles.
Most 50-plus scores for Pakistan in a World Cup edition
5 – Javed Miandad, 1992
4 – Misbah-ul-Haq, 2015
4 – Babar Azam, 2019
4 – Abdullah Shafique, 2023
Most sixes by Pakistan in a World Cup innings
16 vs ZIM, Kingston, 2007
10 vs UAE, Napier, 2015
9 vs AFG, Chennai, 2023
9 vs BAN, Kolkata, 2023
8 vs SA, Chennai, 2023
Instances of Pakistan scoring at over 6 RPO in a WC run-chase
7.13 vs SL, Hyderabad, 2023 (target: 345, won)
6.70 vs AUS, Bengaluru, 2023 (target: 368, lost)
6.30 vs BAN, Kolkata, 2023 (target: 205, won)
6.22 vs UAE, Gujranwala, 1996 (target: 110, won)
Fakhar Zaman, awarded the Player of the Match, shared his thoughts, saying, “Following the Asia Cup, I dedicated a significant amount of time to refining my batting skills. I felt confident during the camp and eagerly anticipated the opportunity to represent the team. Today, my hard work bore fruit when I received that chance. I had a conversation with Abdullah, and we agreed that I would play cautiously in the initial overs, as I was confident in my ability to deliver substantial sixes.”
He continued, “My role is to create a comfortable platform for my partner, so it was imperative to navigate the early overs and then unleash my shots. We had an eye on the Net Run Rate (NRR) once we crossed the 100-run mark, with the goal of completing the match within 30 overs. While I’ve had my share of disappointments, I was aiming for a breakthrough performance like this one, and I’m hopeful that I can achieve even greater scores in the upcoming games.