If it was Saud Shakeel in the Netherlands game, it was Abdullah Shafique’s turn today in front of a strong 25,000-plus crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium to step up on the grand stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with one constant being the guiding force of Mohammad Rizwan.
After Kusal Mendis’ sublime 122 and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s momentum-changing 108, Pakistan were left with the daunting task of chasing down 344. This would have been their 2nd highest successful chase if they managed it win it, which they eventually did.
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Shafique, coming in place of the out-of-form Fakhar Zaman would have felt the pressure. After all, he found his senior opening partnership take on a short one and get caught at deep fine. Three overs later, skipper Babar Azam departed, strangled down the legside by left-armer Dilshan Madhushanka for just 10. With the Score at 37/2, Pakistan’s hopes of a record chase were dwindling. Against the Netherlands, they had found themselves at 38/3 before Shakeel stepped in.
Today, Shafique had to do better, way better than what Shakeel did. And he did. With one constant being Rizwan – Pakistan’s anchorman. Against the Netherlands, he had to guide Shakeel during a tough phase, but that was a relatively less equipped Netherlands bowling attack. Against Sri Lanka, that too in a chase, Rizwan had to be the vital cog.
With Imam and Azam back in the hut cheaply, for a second time in a row, and with Shafique, playing only his 5th ODI, in the middle and Shakeel, playing his 8th ODI, it was all down the Rizwan.
Coming into bat in the 8th over, he took time to get settled in and had a near miss off the 5th delivery he faced. Madhushanka, in the middle of a terrific spell, bowled on full angled in and Rizwan in a bid to play it to the onside managed only a leading edge that flew agonising close to the fielder at covers.
That probably was the only chance Rizwan gave going forward. Understanding the passage of play with Sri Lanka on top, he bided his time and rotated the strike well with Shafique. His first boundary came in the 20th delivery he faced – a pitched-up delivery from Matheesha Pathirana that he leaned forward to drive past the bowler.
With Shafique opening up at the other end, Rizwan needed to play second fiddle only and he did exactly that, feeding the 23-year more batting time as he masterfully negotiated the spells of Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage in the middle phase, During his fabulous knock of 131*, he ran 57 singles and 10 doubles; add to that eight fours and three sixes.
By the time Shafique was caught brilliantly by substitute fielder Dushan Hemantha for 113, Rizwan had added 176 runs off just 156 deliveries with the opener to arrest the momentum from Sri Lanka. The Lanakans were not able to sustain the early pressure with as many as 26 extras being conceded and Pakistan did not mind it at all.
Shafique’s dismissal was a pivotal point in the game in the 34th over as Pakistan were still 132 runs away from victory and at the asking rate hovering at 8 runs per over. This is when Rizwan decided to take the game by the scruff of its neck. The very next ball after Shafique’s dismissal, Rizwan threaded a needle between three players from deep midwicket to long on to pick up a boundary. With Shakeel for company, Rizwan upped the ante with clutch shots – one a stunning cover drive on the full through covers.
A six followed off Dhanajaya de Silva as he crashed to the ground clutching his hamstring, so everyone thought. A brief intervention from the physios later, Rizwan was up and running, hobbling of course, but he fought through the pain.
His first fifty came in 57 balls, but it only took him 40 to score his next fifty. His third ODI hundred and fifth fifty-plus score in his last six ODI innings. Shakeel stuck around long enough to not leave the battle for Rizwan to fight alone, before perishing to Theekshana for 31 in the 45th over. By that time, Pakistan were comfortably placed needing 37 off 34. The duo had added 95 off just 68 balls to take the game away from Sri Lanka. Iftikar Ahmed provided the finishing touches as Pakistan registered their second-highest successful chase in ODI history.
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