Table of Contents
- Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 journey concludes with elimination after a challenging campaign.
- Despite wins against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, and New Zealand, losses to South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia, and India proved costly.
- In the last league game against England, Pakistan fell short as they struggled in both batting and bowling departments.
In a roller-coaster of highs and lows, Pakistan’s tumultuous journey in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has finally reached its conclusion as they faced elimination after a challenging campaign. The last league stage game against England proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Pakistani team, capping off a series of disappointments throughout the tournament.
Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 journey with too many lows and too less highs
The road to elimination was marked by struggles against formidable opponents, with losses against South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia, and India weighing heavily on Pakistan’s aspirations. However, they did manage to secure victories against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, and New Zealand (albeit through the DLS method), showcasing moments of adversity.
In the crucial encounter against England, the toss favored the English side, who elected to bat and posted a formidable total of 337/9. Ben Stokes’ explosive 84, coupled with Joe Root’s solid 60 and Jonny Bairstow’s 59, laid the foundation for England’s imposing score.
Pakistani bowlers, led by the spirited Haris Rauf with three wickets, struggled to contain the English batsmen, with an economy of around 7. Shaheen Afridi and Wasim Jnr chipped in with two wickets each, while Iftikhar Ahmed claimed one.
When it was Pakistan’s turn to bat, the openers got off to a nightmarish start with Fakhar Zaman scoring just 1 run and Abdullah Shafiq departing without a single run to his name. Despite contributions from Babar Azam (38) and Mohammad Rizwan (36), the team faced an uphill battle.
Salman Ali Agha’s resilient 51 went in vain as the English bowlers managed to restrict Pakistan to 244 in 43.3 overs. Haris Rauf, the standout bowler, also showcased his batting prowess with 35 runs, while Shaheen Afridi contributed 25 in a valiant effort to salvage the team’s reputation.
Ultimately, Pakistan’s fifth-place finish in the ICC World Cup 2023, with four wins in nine games and a net run rate of -0.199, paints a picture of a campaign filled with ups and downs, leaving fans with a sense of what could have been.
Also, see:
This player has conceded most runs in a single edition of the World Cup
