World Cup 2023: Pakistan smashes record with victory over Sri Lanka
Green Shirts successfully chased down a mammoth 345-run target against Sri Lanka
October 10, 2023
Pakistan cricket team on Tuesday made their way into record books by chasing down the highest total in World Cup history during their match against Sri Lanka at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi Stadium International, Hyderabad.
The Green Shirts successfully chased down the mammoth 345-run target courtesy of splendid centuries by Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique who anchored the innings after Sri Lanka inflicted early blows sending skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq back to the pavilion early in the game.
The run chase — which broke the previous highest chase of 329 runs by Ireland against England — is the highest in World Cup history during the past 12 editions of the ODI World Cup, chases of over 300 runs have been achieved only a handful of times.
Back in the 2011 World Cup, England fell agonisingly short of getting onto the list in the tied match against India during the 2011 World Cup when it scored 338/8 in the second innings.
Here is the full list of top five chases:
| Pakistan | 345/4 | Sri Lanka | 2023 |
| Ireland | 329/7 | England | 2011 |
| Bangladesh | 322/3 | West Indies | 2019 |
| Bangladesh | 322/4 | Scotland | 2015 |
| Sri Lanka | 313/7 | Zimbabwe | 1992 |
Earlier in the day, staggering batting display by Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama guided Sri Lanka to a massive 344-run total which was the highest-ever total against Pakistan in a World Cup match, overtaking India who scored 336 in the 2019 World Cup in Manchester, England.
Mendis 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.
Meanwhile, Samarawickrama carried on the momentum and completed his century, scoring 108 runs in 89 balls with 13 boundaries.
Men in Green met with early blows as they had lost their top-order batters, Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam, in just 7.1 overs and were 37-2 but the match-winning partnership between Rizwan and the World Cup debutant, Shafique, changed the fortunes of the struggling Pakistani side.
The 176-run stand between the two batters provided their side the much-needed break and got them in a dominating position once again.
Shafique walked back to the pavilion after scoring 113 off 103 courtesy of 10 fours and three sixes but Rizwan stayed till the end and took his side over the line by scoring 131 runs — Green Shirts' second-highest individual score in the World Cup overtaking Ramiz Raja’s 119 against New Zealand in 1992.
The astounding win is a great confidence booster for the Pakistani side who play the arch-rivals India in the most-anticipated match of the World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on October 14.
