Pakistan vs Bangladesh World Cup 2023 Highlights

Pakistan vs Bangladesh in a highly anticipated match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata for the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, Pakistan faced off against Bangladesh in a contest that had cricket fans on the edge of their seats.

Pakistan’s Strong Start

Pakistan’s openers gave a superb start to their innings. They were off to a flying start, with Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman forming an impressive opening partnership. Shafique reached his half-century with  9 boundaries to his name, and Zaman was equally impressive, smashing 5 sixes and 2 fours on his way to a fifty.

• Pakistan completes 50 runs in 9.1 overs (55 balls)
• 1st Wicket partnership of 50 runs between Shafique-Zaman complete in 55 balls

However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz played a pivotal role for Bangladesh, breaking the partnership by dismissing Abdullah Shafique for a commendable 68 runs.

• Mehidy Hasan Miraz breaks Shafique-Zaman partnership in the 21.1 over as he dismisses Abdullah Shafique (68) via an LBW. PAK at 128/1.

Despite losing Shafique, Pakistan continued their dominant run, reaching 100 runs in just 17.5 overs.

• 100 runs up for Pakistan in 17.5 overs (107 balls)

Fakhar Zaman added to the excitement with his explosive batting, completing his half-century with 2 fours and 5 sixes.

• Fakhar Zaman completes 50 off 51 balls (2 x 4, 5 x 6)
• 1st Wicket of 100 runs comes up in 107 balls

But Mehidy Hasan Miraz wasn’t done yet; he claimed two more wickets, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, during his spell.

• Mehidy Hasan Miraz breaks another partnership of Babar-Zaman partnership in the 25.1 over as he dismisses Babar Azam (9). PAK at 160/2.
• Mehidy Hasan Miraz breaks another partnership as he dismisses Fakhar Zaman (81) in the 27.3 over. 3rd wicket for Miraz. With this, he joins the 100-wickets club.

With the loss of Fakhar Zaman’s wicket, Mehidy Hasan Miraz became the latest member of the “100-wickets club.”

• Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi took his 100th wicket in one-day internationals during the World Cup match against Bangladesh in Kolkata.

Pakistan’s Victory

Despite these breakthroughs, Pakistan remained dominant, achieving the 200-run mark with only 31.2 overs played. The team ultimately scored 205/3 runs in 33.3 overs, securing a win over Bangladesh by 7 wickets with 105 balls remaining.

• 200 runs up for Pakistan in 31.2 overs (188 balls)

Fakhar Zaman was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance, scoring 81 runs in just 74 balls.

• PAK vs BAN, World Cup 2023 Live Updates: Fakhar Zaman becomes player of the match

This victory marked Pakistan’s third win in the tournament, placing them in the 5th spot with 6 points and a net run rate of –0.024. In contrast, Bangladesh slipped to the 9th position with 2 points and a net run rate of –1.446.

Bangladesh’s Struggles

In contrast to Pakistan’s solid performance, Bangladesh struggled during their innings. They were bundled out for a below-par 204 runs, with Mahmudullah being the highest run-scorer, contributing 56 runs off 70 balls. However, they lost wickets at regular intervals, preventing them from building any significant momentum.

Bangladesh’s batting highlights included Litton Das (45), Shakib Al Hasan (43), and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (25), who were the only other batters to reach double figures.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr emerged as the most successful bowlers with three-wicket hauls each. Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Usama Mir also contributed with wickets.

Changes in the Lineup

Both teams made significant changes to their lineups. Pakistan brought back opener Fakhar Zaman, Agha Salman, and Usama Mir, while Bangladesh made a change, bringing back batsman Towhid Hridoy in place of Mahedi Hasan.

Shadab Khan of Pakistan