Ton-up Rizwan, Abdullah shine in Pakistan’s record chase against Sri Lanka

Opener Abdullah Shafique and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan scored centuries as Pakistan chased down 345 - the highest in World Cup history - against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

The historic chase was led by Rizwan, who smashed an unbeaten 131, and Shafique, who scored 113 off 103 balls on his World Cup debut. The third-wicket partnership between these two at a difficult juncture turned the game on its head.

Chasing a massive total, Pakistan lost key wickets of Imam-ul-Haq (12) and Babar Azam (10) early in the innings.

However, Rizwan and Abdullah kept their composure and led Pakistan’s historic chase against Sri Lanka.

Before tonight, Ireland had held the record for the largest successful World Cup run chase, tracking down 328 runs against England in the 2011 World Cup.

Earlier, swashbuckling Kusal Mendis smashed the fastest century for Sri Lanka in a World Cup match, guiding his team to an imposing 344-9 against Pakistan in Hyderabad.

The 28-year-old cracked a 65-ball century before going on to make 122, his highest score in ODIs and third century.

It was an innings spiced with 14 boundaries and half a dozen sixes, leading the charge for Sri Lanka who won the toss and batted.

Sadeera Samarawickrama also joined the party with a brilliant maiden hundred, hitting 11 boundaries and two sixes in his 89-ball 108.

Mendis twice escaped dropped catches – Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped him off his own bowling in the fifth over and then Imam-ul-Haq blundered in the next over again off Shaheen on 18.

Mendis completed his 50 off 40 balls with his seventh boundary, lifting Sri Lanka from the early loss of Kusal Perera (nought) in the second over to Hasan Ali.

He put on a 102 with Pathum Nissanka whose 51 came off 61 balls with seven boundaries and a six.

Once Nissanka fell to Shadab Khan, Mendis and Samarawickrama unleashed some superb hitting against Pakistan’s pacers and spinners alike, adding 111 for the third wicket.

They were savage on fast bowler Haris Rauf, hitting him for two sixes and a boundary in the 21st over.

When Shaheen came back for a second spell, Mendis cracked three fours in the 25th over.

Hasan Ali was hoisted by Mendis for a six to allow the batsman his third hundred off 65 balls.

It was his first century in thee-and-a-half years but he had made 76 in the opening defeat to South Africa and now has at least five half-centuries in his last seven ODIs.

Previously, Kumar Sangakkara held the Sri Lanka World Cup record with a 70-ball hundred, scored against England in 2015.

Mendis’s previous best was 119 against the West Indies in Hambantota in February 2020.

Mendis hit two sixes off Hasan’s 29th over before he holed out at deep mid-wicket boundary off Hasan Ali.

Hasan then removed Charith Asalanka for one but Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva (25) added 65 for the fifth wicket.

Hasan finished as the best bowler with 4-71 while Rauf took 2-64.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka 344-9 in 50 overs (K. Mendis 122, S. Samarawickrama 108, P. Nissanka 51; Hasan Ali 4-71)