11 November,2023 05:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Jos Buttler, Harry Brook (Pic: AFP)
The ICC World Cup 2023 match between England and Pakistan saw the two England batters displaying outstanding performance with the willow. England set a target of 338 runs for Pakistan to chase down. David Willey scored 15 runs in just five balls.
Ben Stokes and Joe Root who entered the ground after the dismissal of England openers, completed their 100-run stand in the 36th over. Both took the responsibility on their shoulders and guided their team in an excellent way.
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Ben Stokes who smashed a century in the previous game brought up his fifty in 53 deliveries, this time. He showed no mercy to Pakistan bowlers in their must-win ICC World Cup 2023 clash. He bashed them for 11 fours and 2 sixes and played a knock of 84 runs in 76 balls. Pakistan's lead pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled a top delivery to get rid of him. The ball sneaked under his bat and uprooted the off stump.
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On the other hand, Joe Root kept hitting the ball in the right gaps and raised his bat to celebrate his fifty in 65 balls. Soon after his wicket set batsman Root departed for 60 runs. Shadab Khan took his catch in Afridi's over. Pakistan was brought back into the game by Afridi with his fierce pace bowling.
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Pakistan bowlers did not get any chances after the fall of the first two wickets. Thereafter, Stokes and Root continued to play stubborn innings.
England skipper Jos Buttler walked in after Stokes' wicket. Accompanying him was Harry Brook who smashed three boundaries to Afridi in his last over. Brook played a fiery knock of 30 runs in just 17 balls laced by 2 fours and 2 sixes. The English skipper departed for 27 runs.
Haris Rauf struck three wickets in his 10-over spell.
England's opening batsman Jonny Bairstow departed after completing his 17th fifty in the ODI. He lost his wicket in Haris Rauf's over. His opening partner Dawid Malan smashed 31 runs before getting caught in the hands of Mohammad Rizwan.
Score summary:
Ben Stokes (76) 84
Joe Root (72) 60
Jonny Bairstow (61) 59
Iftikhar Ahmed: Overs bowled (7), runs (38), wickets (1)
Haris Rauf: Overs bowled (10), runs (64), wickets (3)
Shaheen Shah Afridi: Overs bowled (10), runs (72), wickets (2)
