ENG vs PAK Review: England end frustrating World Cup on a high

The 45th match of the ongoing ODI World Cup took place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where Pakistan and England faced off in a virtual dead rubber of sorts, with only a miraculous mathematical equation keeping Pakistan in the semi-final hunt. Expectedly, it was not to be.

England won the toss and elected to bat first and put up a strong batting performance, posting a total of 337/9. Ben Stokes led the charge with his third successive fifty, falling just 16 runs short of a century. After Jonny Bairstow’s impactful half-century, Stokes and Joe Root combined to rebuild the innings, setting the stage for a late onslaught by Harry Brook and Jos Buttler.

Despite their efforts in the death overs, the target of 338 put Pakistan in a challenging position, requiring an improbable chase of 6.4 overs to surpass New Zealand and advance to the semi-finals. Chasing the target, Pakistan looked out of place and struggled under the pressure of a big run chase. They lost Abdullah Shafique on the second ball of their innings at the score of 0.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Saud Shakeel all got starts but were unable to convert them into big scores. Agha Salman was the highest scorer for them, scoring 51 off 47 balls as Pakistan were eventually bundled out for 244, resulting in a big win for the defending champions to close the tournament.

Top Performers of the Match

Ben Stokes (84 of 76)

All-rounder Stokes showcased his prowess once again in the tournament as he scored his third fifty of the marquee event. He scored a brilliant 84 off just 76 balls with 11 fours and two sixes to emerge as the best batter of the match. His innings really helped the English team to post a formidable total on the board.

David Willey (3/56, 10 overs)

Willey showcased his prowess with the ball and took three crucial wickets to derail the Pakistani chase. He swung the ball upfront to trouble the Pakistani batters and bowled with good variations in the middle and death overs as well to emerge as the best bowler of the match.

What next?

Both England and Pakistan were unable to qualify for the semifinals and will fly back home.