By: KeerthiMohan
Pakistan made a slow start in their “miracle” bid to beat Bangladesh by a record margin and reach the World Cup semi-finals at Lord’s on Friday.
Australia, India and England have already qualified from the 10-team group phase but Pakistan retain a mathematical chance of joining them and denying New Zealand a spot.
Their task is all but impossible, however. The most realistic way to progress out of a range of unlikely scenarios is to score 400 and win by 316 runs.
The biggest-ever men’s ODI win was by New Zealand against Ireland in 2008, when the margin was 290 runs.
Pakistan lost opener Fakhar Zaman early and limped to 38-1 after 10 overs before Imam-ul-Haq and Barbar Azam stepped up the scoring rate.
“It has been a boring start for a team that is trying to get 400,” ex-Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja said on BBC radio.
Pakistan passed the hundred mark in the 22nd over, with Babar unbeaten on 46 and Imam not out 36.
(AFP)
