In a breathtaking display of cricket, Pakistan clinched a sensational victory over Sri Lanka, achieving a record-breaking target of 345 runs in the ODI World Cup 2023. This thrilling encounter, staged at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, saw standout performances from Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique. Both batsmen lit up the field, marking their places with resplendent centuries.
With this win, Pakistan maintains an undefeated streak in the ODI World Cup 2023, boasting two victories in as many matches. The team's next big challenge is the much-anticipated match against arch-rivals India, slated to take place at the grand Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Reflecting on Pakistan's batting prowess, cricketing legend and former India batter, Sunil Gavaskar, emphasized the evolving depth in the team's batting lineup. He pointed out that the centuries from Rizwan and Shafique indicate a growing strength, suggesting that Pakistan's reliance on their skipper, Babar Azam, is diminishing. This is particularly noteworthy as Babar, often considered the backbone of Pakistan's batting, has had a slow start in the tournament, posting scores of 5 and 10 in the initial matches.
"When you are chasing 350 runs, it takes a lot. They also lost a couple of early wickets in the game. I think more than anything else, I mean, we have all known about what Rizwan can do. But Abdullah Shafique, he looked like a Test batter. The way he anchored the innings with Rizwan, it was great," Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar opined that this newfound balance in the batting department would be a boon for Babar Azam. It would alleviate the immense pressure he typically faces to consistently deliver high scores.
"More than anything else, Pakistan would have realised that they do not have to depend on Babar. And if Babar fails, there are other batters who are there to score the runs. And I think that is such an important thing for Babar himself because the pressure will not be on him that he has to score all the time," Gavaskar concluded.
All eyes are now set on the epic clash between India and Pakistan on 14 October, Saturday. The upcoming game, promising electrifying cricket, is one that fans globally are eagerly awaiting.
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