Tag: ICC World Cup 2023

KOLKATA: Pakistan men’s cricket team on Saturday, has officially been knocked out of the ICC World Cup 2023 semi-final contention.

Pakistan, who are fifth in the World Cup standings with eight points in as many matches, needed to win their last fixture against England by a hefty margin of 287 runs or 260 balls to spare to go past New Zealand’s superior net run-rate.

Pakistan, while chasing a daunting 338-run target, could get to 30/2 in 6.4 overs, resulting in them bowing out of the semi-final race.

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Consequently, New Zealand have successfully managed to hold on to their fourth position in the standings with 10 points in nine matches and a healthy net run rate of 0.743.

The Blackcaps will now take on unbeaten India in the first semi-final on November 15. Whereas, five-time champions Australia will lock horns with South Africa in the second knockout game a day later.

Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC World Cup 2023 was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.

The Babar Azam-led side started their World Cup campaign with two victories.

They outclassed the Netherlands by 81 runs in their campaign opener before they pulled off the highest run chase in the history of the ODI World Cup to down Sri Lanka by six wickets.

However, it was a sudden change of fortune for the men in green as they succumbed to a four-match losing streak, their first in the history of the World Cup.

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Their four-match losing streak saw them sink to their first-ever loss against Afghanistan in ODIs before losing to South Africa for the first time in a World Cup match in this century.

When it appeared to be done and dusted for the Green Shirts, Babar Azam’s men scripted an astonishing comeback to the ICC World Cup 2023 semi-final race by thrashing Bangladesh by seven wickets and 105 balls to spare.

Pakistan then pulled off another heist when they downed New Zealand by 21 runs as per the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method despite the latter scoring a mammoth 401/6 in the allotted 50 overs.

READ: Marsh 177 powers semi-final bound Australia to thump Bangladesh

KOLKATA: Ben Stokes played a brisk 84-run knock before David Willey’s 3/56 as defending champions England crushed Pakistan by 93 runs in the 44th match of the ICC World Cup 2023.

Set to chase a daunting 339-run total, Pakistan’s batting lineup unfolded in the 44th over, yielding 244 in response, despite an entertaining last-wicket partnership between Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Jr.

Pakistan got off to a dismal start to the pursuit as they lost both their openers Abdullah Shafique and in-form Fakhar Zaman inside the first three overs with just 10 runs on the board.

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Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan briefly anchored the run chase with a cautious 51-run partnership before the Pakistan captain fell victim to Gus Atkinson in the 14th over.

He scored 38 in 45 deliveries with the help of six boundaries.

Rizwan was then involved in a brief partnership with Saud Shakeel and took Pakistan to breach the 100-run mark before Moeen Ali castled him.

He could score 36 in 51 balls, hitting two boundaries.

Saud was then joined by Agha Salman in the middle and the pair could add 26 runs for the fifth wicket before England spinners struck in quick succession to leave Pakistan reeling at 191/9 with their mainstay Agha also walking back to the dugout.

Agha remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 45-ball 51 which featured six boundaries and a six.

Pakistan’s tailenders Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Jr offered notable resistance at the backend as the duo put together a 53-run partnership.

Haris Rauf dominated the entertaining 10th-wicket stand with his quickfire 35. His 23-ball knock included three boundaries and as many sixes.

Wasim Jr, on the other hand, scored an unbeaten 16 in 14 balls.

David Willey led the bowling attack in his final ODI appearance for England with 3/56 in his 10 overs, followed by Adil Rashid, Atkinson and Moeen picking up two wickets each.

England’s batting lineup justified their captain Jos Buttler’s decision to bat first as they racked up a massive total on the board.

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Opening batters Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow laid a solid foundation for a big total, courtesy of a magnificent 82-run stand, which lasted when Iftikhar removed the former in the 14th over.

Malan scored 31 in 39 deliveries with the help of five boundaries.

Bairstow then stitched a brief 26-run partnership with Joe Root before Haris Rauf sent him packing in the 19th over. He scored 59 off 61 balls, hitting seven boundaries and a six.

Root then joined forces with Ben Stokes to put England in a commanding position as the pair added 132 runs for the third wicket with both scoring half-centuries.

The duo appeared to be in complete command before both fell in quick succession, causing England to slip to 257/4 in 42.2 overs.

Stokes was the core aggressor of the third-wicket stand, contributing 84 runs in 76 deliveries, laced up with 11 boundaries and two sixes while Root scored 72-ball 60 which featured four boundaries.

Following their departure, Jos Buttler and Harry Brook took the reigns of England’s batting charge and knitted a brisk 45-run partnership to take the defending champions past the 300-run mark.

Brook scored 30 in just 17 deliveries with the help of two boundaries and as many sixes while Buttler struck a quick 28. His 18-ball knock featured three boundaries and a six.

Later, David Willey’s quickfire 15-run cameo bolstered England’s total to 337/9.

The bowling all-rounder smashed two boundaries and a six amid his five-ball knock.

Haris Rauf led the bowling attack for Pakistan in their last ICC World Cup 2023 fixture with 3/64, followed by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr, who took two each.

READ: Batters star as Bangladesh powers to 306 against Australia

Bangladesh’s opening batters Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das scripted a flying start after being invited to bat, as they raised a 76-run stand for the first wicket.

Sean Abbott provided Australia with the breakthrough when he caught and bowled Tanzid Hasan after he scored 36 runs off 34 balls with the help of six boundaries.

Litton Das also scored 36 runs as his partner, however, he took 45 balls before Adam Zampa sent him back to the pavilion with 106 runs on the board.

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Bangladesh’s stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Hridoy then knitted a quick 63-run partnership for the third wicket to lift the team’s total to 170.

Shanto scored 45 runs off 57 balls, but his innings ended while attempting a second run only to be run out as Josh Inglis dislodged the bails after collecting a near-perfect throw by Marnus Labuschagne.

Mahmudullah then joined Hridoy and they added 44 runs for the fourth wicket, but Labuschagne’s direct hit ended the former’s brief 28-ball stay, during which he scored 32 runs with the help of three sixes and one boundary.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then played 21 and 29-run cameos respectively, while Hridoy held on to one end, scoring 74 runs from 79 balls, before getting caught by Labuschagne off Marcus Stoinis.

Bangladesh managed to score 306 at a loss of eight wickets in their allocated 50 overs, with Hridoy topping the runs chart.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Sean Abbott and Adam Zampa picked two wickets each.

ENGLAND WIN BY 93 RUNS

PAKISTAN vs ENGLAND (2nd INNINGS)

FALL OF WICKETS

43.3: Haris Rauf 35 (23 3×4 3×6) SR: 152.17

Rauf miscues this one and launches the ball straight up in the air. Stokes settles himself well under it and takes a well-judged catch to end the entertaining partnership.

37.4: Shaheen Shah Afridi 25 (23b 3×4 1×6) SR: 108.69

Atkinson bowls full and straight and it hits Shaheen low on the pad. Shaheen reviews but the ball-tracking shows three reds.

36.4: Agha Salman 51 (45b 6×4 1×6) SR: 113.33

Agha miscued the slap over long-on, and it’s Ben Stokes who clings on.

31.4: Shadab Khan 4 (7b 1×4 0x6) SR: 57.14

A googly that Shadab didn’t pick. He goes for a wild swing but the ball sneaks through the huge gap between bat and pad.

30.1: Iftikhar Ahmed 3 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60.00

Iftikhar has a wipe down the track, skewed into the covers, and Malan does brilliantly to gather.

27.5: Saud Shakeel 29 (37b 4×4 0x6) SR: 78.37

Tossed up outside leg stump, Saud lines up a paddle off his pads, but he hasn’t picked the googly. Big rip into his middle stump.

22.3: Mohammad Rizwan 36 (51b 2×4 0x6) SR: 70.58

Rizwan overruns the ball after being deceived by the angle from round the wicket, and a big turn through the gate adds the final indignity.

13.6: Babar Azam 38 (45b 6×4 0x6) SR: 84.44

Babar makes the same mistake, pulling to short midwicket, where a fielder is stationed for that exact shot. The Pakistan captain walks into that trap and pays the price.

2.4: Fakhar Zaman 1 (9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 11.11

Fakhar dances down the wicket only to smear it straight to mid-off.

0.2: Abdullah Shafique 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

A perfect inswinger shapes back in, beating the bat, hitting the pad. Shafique is advised not to review, and England get off to the perfect start.

PAKISTAN vs ENGLAND (1st INNINGS)

FALL OF WICKETS

49.5: Gus Atkinson 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Wasim bowls it fast, slingy, straight and whacks the off stump halfway up.

49.4: David Willey 15 (5b 2×4 1×6) SR: 300.00

Willey was through his launch to leg too soon, a high spiralling chance flies down the ground, where Iftikhar sprawls well on the edge of the circle to complete a fine catch.

48.4: Moeen Ali 8 (6b 0x4 1×6) SR: 133.33

Rauf bowls round the wicket, another slower ball, Moeen drags across the line, mistimes his stroke against the 122kph delivery, and the ball removes his off stump.

47.2: Jos Buttler 28 (18b 3×4 1×6) SR: 150.00

Buttler chops away to the offside and Rauf’s shy from backward point pings him at the non-striker’s end.

46.4: Harry Brook 30 (17b 2×4 2×6) SR: 176.47

Brook looks to unleash over the covers, but he drags the slower ball as he makes room to leg… too close to mid-off where Shaheen moves smartly to his left and clings on with a stretch of the arms.

42.2: Joe Root 60 (72b 4×4 0x6) SR: 83.33

Afridi rolled his fingers down the side of the ball, Root lined up the clip to the leg, was through the shot too soon, and Shadab at point rushed back to gather the looping chance over his shoulder, reaching it well with a dive.

40.1: Ben Stokes 84 (76b 11×4 2×6) SR: 110.52

Yorker from Afridi! Off stump blasted from the ground! late movement on the reverse swing and Stokes can’t get his bat down in time as he wipes to leg.

18.2: Jonny Bairstow 59 (61b 7×4 1×6) SR: 96.72

Bairstow drives aerially to Haris, right out of the middle, but he had guided it to Salman Ali Agha, who made no mistake.

13.3: Dawid Malan 31 (39b 5×4 0x6) SR: 79.48

Malan attempted the reverse sweep on Iftikhar, but the ball bobbled off a top edge/glove, and Rizwan did well there, as the ball deflected up off his gauntlets and away to the off side. Smothered the chance with a full dive.

PUNE: Australia have won the toss and elected to field first against Bangladesh in the 43rd ICC World Cup 2023 match at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Bangladesh

Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

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Australia

David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Overall ODIs: Matches 21, Australia 19, Bangladesh 1, NR 1

ODI World Cup: Matches 4, Australia 3, Bangladesh 0, NR 1

READ: Babar Azam ‘has a plan’ for net run-rate miracle against England

KOLKATA: Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam said Friday that he has a plan to improve their net run-rate in their all-important ICC World Cup 2023 fixture against England on Saturday.

New Zealand’s convincing five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Thursday, took a toll on Pakistan’s already slim chances of semi-final qualification as the 1992 champions now need to thrash the defending champions by a hefty margin.

Pakistan, who are in fifth position with eight points in as many matches, will now need to win their last ICC World Cup 2023 fixture against England by at least 287 runs to go past New Zealand in the standings.

If they bowl first, then they would have to beat England with 284 balls to spare, which means they will have to chase down the target in just 2.4 overs.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam is determined to end their World Cup campaign on a high note, asserting that any thing can happen in cricket.

“Anything can happen in cricket. We will try to finish the tournament on a high note,” said Babar.

“We have a plan for net run-rate and will try to execute it. We have planned about how to play the first 10 overs and what to do after that. If Fakhar Zaman plays for 20-30 overs, we can achieve what’s required.

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The Pakistan captain also emphasized that wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed are crucial for the team.

“The role of Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan will also be important during the match.”

Babar Azam then denied the potential of captaincy taking a toll on his individual performance, stating there is no pressure on him while asserting his focus is solely on the next match.

“There is no pressure on me. I was performing and leading the side for the past three years as well.

Right now, my focus is on the next match. I will think about the future of captaincy later.”

READ: Champions Trophy 2025 to be played in T20 format?

DUBAI: Indian media conglomerate Disney Star has reportedly demanded the International Cricket Council (ICC) to hold the Champions Trophy 2025 in T20 format, English newspaper The Guardian reported on Friday.

With the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 coming to its closure in a few days and three teams having thus far booked their spots in the semi-finals, there is still much to fight for the sides, placed at the bottom.

As the top seven sides at the conclusion of the group stage of the ongoing World Cup, besides hosts Pakistan, will qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

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For the unversed, the qualification scenario for the Champions Trophy 2025 was approved by the ICC Board in 2021 when the multi-national tournament was brought back.

Meanwhile, Disney Star, the media outlet that captured the broadcast rights for all ICC events in a four-year deal running from 2024 to 2027, reportedly intended for the eight-team competition to be in Twenty20 format rather than one-day international, according to The Guardian.

But the media outlet’s demand raised question marks on the qualification scenario of the Champions Trophy 2025 like how a 50-over World Cup can dictate qualification for an eight-team T20 event.

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Moreover, if ICC somehow adapts a different system for picking up eight teams, such as ranking points then it would create massive confusion for the teams, who are still fighting to dodge the bottom two in the ongoing World Cup.

Moreover, the move would also pose a major threat to the already downhill ODI cricket.

The conversion of  Champions Trophy 2025 into T20 format will result in oversaturation of the format as the T20 World Cups are scheduled for alternating years between 2024 and 2030, including the Twenty20 format for the 2028 Olympics.

READ: Afghanistan knocked out of ICC World Cup 2023 semi-final race

AHMEDABAD: Afghanistan men’s cricket team on Friday, has officially been knocked out of the ICC World Cup 2023 semi-final contention.

Afghanistan, who are sixth in the World Cup standings with eight points in as many matches, needed to win their last fixture against South Africa by a hefty margin of 438 runs to go past New Zealand’s superior net run-rate.

Despite failing to make it to the semi-finals, Afghanistan’s run in the ICC World Cup 2023 was a historic one.

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The nation, who had just one victory in World Cups, stunned the world in this year’s edition by triumphing against three former champions England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka while also coming close to stunning the five-time champions Australia.

Afghanistan had restricted Australia to 91/7 while defending 292, however, a sensational double-century from Glenn Maxwell, swept away their hopes of another historic victory, which would have also bolstered their position for semi-final qualification.

Their fourth victory in the ICC World Cup 2023 came against the Netherlands last Friday.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan could only manage 244 runs despite all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai’s unbeaten 97.

The right-handed batter smashed seven boundaries and three sixes on his way to top score for the side.

But his sensational knock was not enough as Afghanistan failed to post a mammoth total on the board.

Besides Omarzai, Rahmat Shah and Noor Ahmad, who scored 26 each were the next notable run-getters for Afghanistan.

Right-arm pacer Gerald Coetzee was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa as he returned his career-best figures of 4/44 in his 10 overs while Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi bagged two wickets each.

When this story was filed South Africa were 31/0 in six overs in pursuit of a modest 245-run total.

A victory would guarantee South Africa the second spot in the standings and they will then face third-placed Australia in the second semi-final on November 16.

READ: Glenn Maxwell doubtful for Bangladesh clash after double-century heroics

AHMEDABAD: Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten half-century, paired up with Andile Phehlukwayo’s cameo lifted South Africa to beat Afghanistan by five wickets in their last ICC World Cup 2023 group fixture on Friday.

Chasing a modest 245, South Africa knocked off the winning runs for the loss of five wickets and 15 balls to spare.

Proteas openers Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock gave their side a head start to the 245-run pursuit as they added 64 runs for the first wicket before both perished in quick succession.

Quinton de Kock, who was the core aggressor of the opening stand, scored 41 in 47 deliveries, hitting two boundaries and three sixes while Bavuma scored a 28-ball 23.

Coming out to bat at number three, Rassie van der Dussen, put together an important 50-run partnership with Aiden Markram, who could score 25 in 32 balls.

Heinrich Klaasen (10) had a brief stay at the crease and could share a 23-run stand with van der Dussen before Rashid Khan castled him in the 28th over.

Hard-hitting batter David Miller then joined van der Dussen at the crease and the pair could stitch a 49-run partnership before the former perished after an anchoring 24.

His 33-ball knock featured one boundary and a six.

Rassie van der Dussen then finally got subtle support in the form of Phehlukwayo and they powered South Africa over the line with an unbeaten 65-run partnership.

Phehlukwayo played a crucial 39-run cameo in 37 deliveries while van der Dussen top-scorer for the Proteas with a 95-ball 76, laced up with six boundaries and a six.

For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi picked up two wickets each while Mujeeb Ur Rahman made one scalp.

After opting to Bat, Afghanistan lost their three wickets inside 11 overs with a mere 45 runs on the board.

Azmatullah Omarzai came down to bat at number five, joining Rahmat Shah and together they added 49 runs for the fourth wicket before Lungi Ngidi dismissed the latter at a total of 94 runs.

Afghanistan soon slipped to 116-6, bringing out Rashid Khan (14), who added 44 runs with Omarzai for the seventh wicket before getting caught behind.

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Noor Ahmed then played a 26-run cameo and added 44 runs to the total with Omarzai during their eighth-wicket partnership but Coetzee dismissed him in the 46th over leaving Afghanistan struggling at 204-8.

Omarzai fought valiantly adding 40 more runs with the last two batters before South African bowlers wrapped up the innings on the final ball of the innings.

Omarzai remained unbeaten at 97 from 107 balls, with the help of seven boundaries and three sixes.

Coetzee picked four wickets for South Africa while Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj picked two wickets each.

READ: Rachin Ravindra named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for October 2023