LONDON: Pakistan’s Cricket World Cup hopes are effectively over at the halfway stage of its match against Bangladesh after finishing on 315-9 in 50 overs.
Fifth-place Pakistan batted first knowing it needed to beat Bangladesh by 300-plus runs, depending on net run-rate calculations, to overtake fourth-place New Zealand.
Pakistan needs to bowl Bangladesh out for an improbable 7 runs or lower.
Opener Imam-ul-Haq hit a 100-ball 100 and No. 3 Babar Azam struck 96 in 98 deliveries, including 11 boundaries, four more than Imam.
Imam-ul-Haq kissed the Lord’s turf after scoring a 100-ball century for Pakistan against Bangladesh — before getting out in the same over.
Imam scored seven fours in his ton which he brought up with a single against Mustafizur Rahman in the 42nd over. Two balls later, and still on 100, he accidentally hit his own wicket and was out.
Pakistan was 246-3 after 42 overs.
Pakistan has reached 115-1 against Bangladesh at the halfway stage of its allotted 50 overs in the Cricket World Cup match.
It’s a solid start for Pakistan but so far nowhere near quick enough to reach the huge score it needs to stand any chance of boosting its net run-rate and overtaking fourth-place New Zealand in the standings.
Babar Azam has a 71-ball 57, including four boundaries, and Imam-ul-Haq is 40 not out off 48 balls.
The pair came together on 23-1 after Fakhar Zaman was out for 13.
British broadcasters are already making plans for England reaching the Cricket World Cup final.
Sky Sports, a pay TV broadcaster, says the World Cup final will be available on free-to-air television in Britain should England reach the title match at Lord’s on July 14.
England, the tournament host, has never won the 50-over World Cup. The team is sure to be in the semifinals, where it will play either India or Australia.
Sky executive Stephen van Rooyen said: “Our aim has always been to celebrate what could be a ‘once in a generation’ moment of a home team in a big final on home soil.”
Pakistan appears in no hurry to amass the huge score it needs against Bangladesh to stand any chance of advancing to the semifinals of the Cricket World Cup.
After 10 overs, Pakistan is on 38-1 with Imam-ul-Haq (11) and Babar Azam (14) at the crease.
Fakhar Zaman is the man out, caught by Mehidy Hasan off Mohammad Saifuddin for 13.
Pakistan needs to win by at least 316 runs to overtake New Zealand in fourth place.
Pakistan delayed its likely Cricket World Cup exit by winning the toss and choosing to bat against Bangladesh in their group match at Lord’s.
Fifth-place Pakistan needed to bat first — and must now win by an unprecedented 316 runs or more to overtake New Zealand in fourth place.
Pakistan can match the Black Caps on points and number of victories if it beats Bangladesh, but will almost certainly have a worse net run-rate.
Pakistan made no changes to the team that beat Afghanistan for its third straight win.
Bangladesh made two changes from its loss to India on Tuesday. Mahmudullah is fit again and comes in for middle-order batsman Sabbir Rahman. Spinner Mehidy Hasan replaces fast bowler Rubel Hossain.
Bangladesh would also have batted first at a sunny Lord’s.
Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan has 542 runs — the second highest in the tournament and two runs behind India’s Rohit Sharma — and he has scored six 50s so far. Only India great Sachin Tendulkar has scored more half-centuries in a single tournament, with seven in 2003.
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman.
Pakistan and Bangladesh meet at Lord’s in the Cricket World Cup on the penultimate day of the group stage with both teams effectively playing their last game at the tournament.
Bangladesh is definitely out but fifth-place Pakistan, which has won its last three games, has a remote mathematical chance of advancing to the semifinals. It can draw level with New Zealand in fourth on 11 points if it beats Bangladesh but needs to win by at least 316 runs on Friday to advance. That has never been achieved before in ODI history.
Pakistan could be out without a ball being bowled if it loses the toss and Bangladesh chooses to bat, eliminating any chance for Pakistan to radically improve its net run-rate to catch up with New Zealand.
Bangladesh has won the last four ODIs against Pakistan.
Pakistan has a 31-5 overall record against Bangladesh in completed matches.
