In a thrilling turn of events, England and Pakistan seized remarkable victories in the latest matches of the ODI World Cup, making headlines in the cricketing world.
England faced an initial setback against New Zealand but roared back to secure a resounding win over Bangladesh in Dharamsala, boasting an impressive 137-run margin. This victory propelled them from the 10th to the fifth position in the points table, with 2 points following one win and one loss.
Opting to bat after losing the toss, England posted an imposing 364/9 in 50 overs. The standout performer was David Malan, who scored a remarkable 140 runs, while Joe Root contributed 82 runs. Reece Topley shone as the leading wicket-taker with four wickets.
Notably, this win marked England’s third-highest score in ODI World Cups, with their top two scores achieved during the 2019 World Cup. The head-to-head record between England and Bangladesh in ODIs now stands at 20 wins for England and 5 wins for Bangladesh in 25 matches.
Furthermore, Jonny Bairstow celebrated his 100th ODI appearance, becoming the 27th England cricketer to reach this milestone. In an intriguing twist, only 18 of those matches saw him don the wicketkeeping gloves.
England’s triumphant comeback is a significant departure from historical patterns, defying the norm that teams losing their first World Cup match failed to reach the semi-finals in the last 12 tournaments. The reigning champions rewrote this record with their remarkable comeback.
In an exclusive interview on the DAFA NEWS cricket show on NewsX, former West Indies player Rayad Emrit shared some unique stats from both matches. He revealed that David Malan set several records, including achieving the fourth-highest individual score for England in a World Cup and recording the highest score in a single over by an England batsman in a World Cup.
Rhys Topley made an impressive World Cup debut, registering the fourth-best bowling figures for England in the tournament. Jos Buttler, the wicketkeeper, etched his name in the history books by claiming the most wickets for England in the World Cup, totaling 25 dismissals.
In the eighth match of the ODI World Cup, Pakistan scripted history by achieving a record-breaking chase against Sri Lanka, securing victory by six wickets. After winning the toss, Sri Lanka posted a challenging total of 344/9 in their allotted 50 overs.
Pakistan›s response was nothing short of spectacular, as they chased down a target of 345 runs, setting a new World Cup record for the highest successful chase, surpassing Ireland›s previous feat. Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafiq emerged as the heroes, with Rizwan remaining unbeaten on 134* and Shafiq contributing 113 runs. Pakistan clinched victory in 48.2 overs.