PIX: Pakistan chase down record score to beat Sri Lanka

IMAGES from the ICC World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Hyderabad, on Tuesday.

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Mohammad Rizwan battled severe cramps to smash an unbeaten century, while young Abdullah Shafique hit a maiden ton as Pakistan scripted a world-record chase to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in a high-scoring ODI and extend their winning run in the World Cup, in Hyderabad, on Tuesday.

Rizwan paced his innings superbly, sharing a match-winning 176-run stand for the third wicket with the 23-year-old Shafique (113), to first resurrect Pakistan’s chase of a stiff 345 and then added another 95 runs with Saud Shakeel (31) as they romped home in 48.2 overs.

This was the highest successful run-chase in the history of the World Cup as Pakistan extended their winning streak against Sri Lanka in World Cups to an overwhelming 8-0.

Ireland previously held the record for the highest run-chase in ODI World Cups when they successfully chased down 329 versus England during the 2011 World Cup in India.

Opting to bat, Sri Lanka dished out a dominating batting performance to post a challenging 344 for 9, built around the superlative hundreds by Kusal Mendis (122) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (108).

Sri Lanka then left Pakistan reeling at 37 for 2 in 7.2 overs, with Dilshan Madushanka claiming both the wickets. While a pull shot was Imam-ul-Haq's undoing, skipper Babar failed again trying to play one down the legside.

However, Shafique, playing only his fifth ODI, showed great maturity as he and Rizwan steadied the ship, bringing up the team's 100 in the 19th over.

Shafique, who replaced Fakhar Zaman, and Rizwan looked for damage control initially but slowly picked up pace with the former scoring his fifty off 58 balls.

Soon, the 100-run stand between the two was up as Pakistan reached 138 for 2 at the halfway mark with Sri Lanka desperately looking for a breakthrough.

While Shafique dispatched two sixes over midwicket and one straight down the ground, Rizwan too produced an inside-out drive off Wellalage for four and another cut shot behind point to score his fifty off 58 balls.

Once Shafique notched his maiden ODI ton in the 32nd over, Rizwan smashed two sixes in two balls off Madhushanka to help Pakistan cross the 200-mark and put it in a position of strength.

A sensational diving catch by substitute Dushan Hemantha ended Shafique's stay but Sri Lanka couldn't make use of the opening.

Needing 132 runs off 102 balls, Rizwan hit two fours and a six before he fell down writhing in pain due to cramps. Despite the discomfort, the 31-year-old kept going and reached his third hundred in the 42nd over.

Rizwan and Saud Shakeel (31) brought the equation down to 62 off 48 balls with Sri Lanka too missing a few catches as 300 was up in the 44th over.

Rizwan clobbered a six over deep midwicket to take Pakistan closer but Maheesh Theekshana dismissed Shakeel. However, it was too late by then.

Needing 20 off 18 balls, Iftikhar Ahmed then smashed three fours off Matheesha Pathirana to dash the Islanders' hopes.

Earlier, Mendis's 77-ball 122 was the fastest hundred by a Sri Lankan in World Cup history, while Samarawickrama scored his maiden ODI ton with an 89-ball 108 as the islanders posted their highest World Cup total against a Full Member.

The 28-year-old Mendis batted with absolute authority, clobbering six maximums and 14 fours. He starred in two 100-plus partnerships with Pathum Nissanka (51) and Samarawickrama to take Sri Lanka across the 200-mark in the 28th over.

Once Mendis was dismissed, Samarawickrama took the onus and paced his innings superbly, using his cuts and drives as Sri Lanka kept accumulating runs with ease. He cracked 11 boundaries and two sixes in his 89-ball knock.

owever, Pakistan pulled things back a bit at the back-end as Hasan Ali removed Charith Asalanka (3), Mohammad Nawaz removed Dhananjaya de Silva (25) and Afridi got rid of Dasun Shanaka (12) as Pakistan conceded just 18 runs between 30 to 35 overs.

Samarawickrama held the innings together to keep Sri Lanka on track. But with the pitch slowing down, Pakistan picked up two more wickets to limit them inside 350 in the end.

For Pakistan, Hasan Ali (4/71) claimed four wickets and Haris Rauf (2/64) snapped two but, overall, it was a poor outing for the bowling unit, especially Shaheen Afridi (1/66 in 9 overs) and Shadab Khan (1/55 in 8 overs).

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