Daily Times

LONDON: Pakistan’s World Cup hopes ended on Friday but they managed to end their campaign on a high with a 94-run victory against Bangladesh at Lord’s here. Teenage fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, who was named player of the match, shone brilliantly as he took six cheap wickets, giving up just 36 runs in the process – the best figures for a Pakistan bowler in the competition’s history. “I’m happy for this performance. It’s a special feeling for me, my family, for all of Pakistan. The wicket was slow. The first innings Mustafizur bowled well using cutters and I thought I would use cutters,” said the 19-year-old in a post-match speech. Chasing target of 316 runs, Bangladesh could manage only 221. Shakib-ul Hasan scored his seventh half-century of the tournament, equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 2003, before slashing wildly at a ball from Shaheen and being caught out behind for 66. That knock made Shakib the highest-scoring batsman of the tournament with 606 runs, but Bangladesh’s other wickets fell regularly as the side were skittled out in 44 overs. Pakistan needed to dismiss Bangladesh in their last group-stage match for an improbable seven runs or less to overtake fourth-place New Zealand and reach the semifinals. New Zealand joined Australia, India and England in the last four.

Pakistan post 315-9 against Bangladesh: Earlier, opener Imam-ul-Haq made a run-a-ball century and Babar Azam scored 96 to help Pakistan to 315-9 against Bangladesh in their final group game, even though they are effectively out of the semi-finals race. Pakistan’s abysmal net run rate meant the 1992 champions had no real chances of pipping New Zealand to the last semi-final slot, but Imam and Azam added 157 for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a big total. Mohammad Saifuddin denied Azam a century when he trapped him lbw and Imam’s innings ended in a hit-wicket dismissal when he retreated too much to break his own stump trying to flick Mustafizur Rahman. Mustafizur (5-75) and Saifuddin (3-77) shared eight wickets between them.