In a culmination of a tumultuous World Cup campaign, Pakistan faced England in their last league stage game, marking the end of their aspirations for the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. The match, pivotal for Pakistan’s survival, turned out to be a bitter farewell as they succumbed to England.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, England posted a formidable total of 337/9, driven by stellar performances from Ben Stokes (84), Joe Root (60), and Johnny Bairstow (59). Despite a spirited effort from Pakistani bowlers, including Haris Rauf’s notable 3-wicket haul at an economy of around 7, England managed to stay comfortably above the 300-run mark.
When it was Pakistan’s turn to bat, their openers stumbled, with Fakhar Zaman scoring just 1 run and Abdullah Shafiq departing without opening his account. Although Babar Azam contributed 38 and Rizwan added 36, the batting lineup struggled. Salman Ali Agha’s valiant 51 went in vain as English bowlers, led by Haris Rauf’s all-round effort of 35, restricted Pakistan to 244 in 43.3 overs.
Despite individual efforts from Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi, who added 35 and 25 respectively to salvage the team’s reputation, Pakistan couldn’t overcome England’s total. It’s noteworthy that England were already eliminated from the tournament before this clash.
Reflecting on their overall performance, Pakistan concluded the World Cup as the 5th placed side with 4 wins in 9 games and a net run rate (NRR) of -0.199. Their journey was marred by losses against South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia, and India, while victories came against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, and New Zealand (by DLS method). As Pakistan exit the World Cup stage, questions arise about the team’s future strategies and the need for introspection to address the challenges faced in this campaign.
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An unwanted record by Haris Rauf in World Cup 2023
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