The end result of the Pakistan – England recreation on the Eden Gardens on Saturday had ceased to matter even earlier than a ball was bowled. Pakistan’s solely likelihood of creating the World Cup semifinals was to bat first and win by 287 runs. The second the coin flipped in England’s favour, and Jos Buttler selected to bat, it was curtains.
The tie didn’t prosper as a contest both. England scored 337 for 9 on the gradual, abrasive floor as Ben Stokes, in what was maybe his closing ODI innings, made the 37,666-strong vacation viewers bounce by scripting a advantageous 84 (76b, 11×4, 2×6). Pakistan fell woefully quick, dropping by 93 runs, as England sealed Champions Trophy qualification.
When Babar Azam was batting, Pakistan seemed very a lot within the hunt. But as soon as the skipper fell within the 14th over after a candy 38 (45b, 6×4), all of it fizzled out. The middle-order collapse towards Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali was significantly obvious. Once a land of nice spinners and spin-playing batters, present-day Pakistan is neither.
It has been evident in the way in which its tweakers have bowled all event. At the Eden, it manifested in the way in which Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan fell — charging down the observe mindlessly, sweeping thoughtlessly and failing fully in selecting straighter deliveries and googlies.
The afternoon’s proceedings, although, have been in stark distinction as Stokes and Joe Root (60, 72b, 4×4) took centre-stage with a 132-run partnership for the third wicket, constructing on a 82-run stand for the opening wicket between Jonny Bairstow (59, 61b, 7×4, 1×6) and Dawid Malan (31, 39b, 5×4).
Stokes was the extra expressive batter, capitalising absolutely on an early let off by Shaheen Afridi, who grassed a easy caught-and-bowled likelihood. The 32-year-old smashed the left-armer straight down, previous mid-on, over mid-wicket and past level in a span of two overs to ship him out of the assault. Then got here the hoick over mid-wicket off Mohammad Wasim Jr. and the falling reverse-sweep off Agha Salman, his stand-out pictures.
At one level, Root appeared so bored on the different finish that he tried his personal reverse ramp. But classical batsmanship is his forte and he showcased that with back-to-back fours to the sq. fence.
Afridi did have Stokes’ measure, uprooting his off-stump with a ball that swung again. But breezy knocks from Jos Buttler (27, 18b, 3×4, 1×6) and Harry Brook (30, 17b, 2×4, 2×6) swelled England’s complete.
Pakistan’s below-par fielding caught out. Nothing it did actually labored. It was a match that was emblematic of its World Cup marketing campaign.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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