Follow UsRecords tumbled for Pakistan on Tuesday as the Men in Green completed their second-highest successful run chase in ODIs and also the highest chase in World Cup history, and integral to the same was Abdullah Shafique.
Picked in the side ahead of Fakhar Zaman, Shafique, playing his first ever World Cup game, compiled a stunning ton and put together a 176-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan that broke the back of the chase and helped Pakistan script a historic win.
The 23-year-old entered the Sri Lanka clash with a List A average of just 19.57 but, on the night, showed the composure of a veteran to help his side pocket two valuable points.
An elated Babar Azam was full of praise for the youngster. The skipper also revealed that he picked Shafique after the right-hander was in terrific nick in the nets.
“This is his first World Cup. His hunger to play, I saw him in the nets so I decided to play him,” Babar said of Shafique.
“The way Rizwan and Abdullah built the partnership, they helped us. We believed and built partnerships.”
Sri Lanka were 229/3 at the 30-over mark and Babar admitted that his side weren’t up to the mark with the ball in the first half of the first innings. However, the Pakistan skipper credited his bowlers for making a soaring comeback. From 229/3 in 30 overs, Pakistan managed to restrict Sri Lanka to just 344/9.
“We weren't up to the mark in the first 20-30 overs. All credit to Mendis, he played an outstanding knock. We finished well, all credit to the bowlers,” the Pakistan skipper said.
Tuesday’s victory means that Pakistan will enter Saturday’s clash against India unbeaten. The highly anticipated clash will be played at the 130,000 capacity Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.