At Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International stadium, the cricketing world witnessed a thrilling showdown between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup 2023.
With a daunting target of 345 runs set by Sri Lanka, the Pakistan team faced an early scare as they lost opener Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Babar Azam in quick succession. However, the duo of Mohammed Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique held their ground, providing much-needed stability to the Pakistani innings.
The Sri Lankan innings had been characterized by a formidable performance, primarily driven by centuries from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Their partnership of 102 runs for the second wicket had propelled Sri Lanka past the 300-run mark comfortably. Despite late wickets from Hasan Ali, who ended with impressive figures of 4/71, and Haris Rauf’s twin dismissals in the final over, Sri Lanka managed to reach a formidable total of 344/9.
Choosing to bat after winning the toss, Sri Lanka encountered early setbacks when Hasan Ali dismissed opener Kusal Perera for a duck. However, the Nissanka-Mendis duo unleashed a boundary-hitting spectacle, with Mendis going on to reach his third ODI century off just 65 balls. His eventual departure for 122 off 77 balls brought relief for Pakistan, but Samarawickrama held firm to secure his maiden ODI century. Despite Pakistan making inroads in the last 10 overs, Sri Lanka’s early assault ensured they came close to the 350-run mark.
This encounter had a backdrop of recent disappointments for Pakistan, with Sri Lanka having been a thorn in their side, knocking them out of the Asia Cup and claiming the title for themselves.
However, the World Cup presents an entirely different challenge, and Pakistan boasts an impressive 7-0 record against Sri Lanka in ODI World Cup matches, with the only exception being a washout in the last edition.
The stage was set at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, a venue that Pakistan had grown accustomed to over the last few weeks. However, their World Cup campaign got off to a rocky start against the Netherlands, with a top-order collapse requiring a crucial partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel to secure victory.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka, despite conceding a record-breaking total to South Africa in their first World Cup match, found hope in the outstanding performance of Kusal Mendis in the powerplay. His brilliant half-century and partnership with Nissanka showcased their resilience.
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Source: Hindustan Times
