PAK vs SL: Pakistan face an uphill task in their second ODI World Cup 2023 game. The Babar Azam-led side face Sri Lanka in the 8th match of the tournament at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. The Lankan Lions made merry of their decision to bat first at a good-looking Hyderabad surface. Dasun Shanaka's side went on to hammer the Pakistan bowlers and posted 344 runs on the board.
The 1996 World Cup champions set the record for highest ODI score by any team against Pakistan in the 50-over World Cup, surpassing India's 336 in 2019. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama smoked their respective tons in the contest as they pushed Sri Lanka to a handsome-looking total. However, the Men in Green made a comeback in the later part of the first innings as Sri Lanka managed to score only 61 runs in the final 10 overs, where they could have exploded much more. The Lankan Lions lost 5 wickets in the last 10 overs to end at 344/9.
Pakistan's highest chased totals in ODI World Cup
Pakistan have never chased a score of more than 300 runs ever in the ODI World Cup history. Their highest chase in the tournament is 263, which they gunned down against New Zealand way back in 1992. Their second biggest chase came four years after when they took down England's 249 in their home in Karachi.
Pakistan's Playing XI:
Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
Sri Lanka's Playing XI:
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka
