Pak vs SL: Green Shirts concede highest-ever total in their World Cup history

KARACHI: The Pakistan cricket team on Tuesday bagged a rather unwanted record after Sri Lankan batters thumped the Green Shirts' bowling lineup leaving the national side conceding the highest total in their World Cup history.

Sri Lanka, during the eighth match of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium International, Hyderabad gave Pakistan a mammoth target of 345 runs courtesy of centuries scored by Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

By scoring 344 runs, the Islanders — overtaking India's 336 runs innings in the 2019 World Cup — became the side to have scored the most runs against Pakistan in a World Cup innings.

Despite losing an early wicket, the Lankan batters did not give in to the pressure as opener Pathum Nissanka completed his half-century, scoring 51 off 61 with eight boundaries.

However, after Nissanka was removed by Shadab Khan, Mendis and Samarawickrama took matters into their own hands and decided to take their batting display to the whole next level.

Mendis became an apparent problem for the struggling Pakistani bowling line, the 28-year-old was hitting boundaries all over the ground.

He scored a total of 122 runs on just 77 deliveries, at an impressive strike rate of 158.44, as his knock included 14 hours and six sixes.

After Mendis lost his wicket, Samarawickrama carried on the momentum and completed his century, scoring 108 runs in 89 balls with 13 boundaries.

Hasan Ali was the costliest bowler for the Green Shirts, conceding 71 runs in 10 overs, but he gave the Men in Green much-needed breakthroughs as he took four important wickets.

Hasan removed Mendis, Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Kusal Perera.

Ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was the second most expensive pacer for the bowling side, conceding 66 runs in nine overs with one wicket to his name.

Pakistan have a mammoth target in front of them as the Green Shirts have never chased a target of 265 runs or more in their World Cup history.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka