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World Cup 2023 | Ben Stokes, Root Pummel PAK Before Willey Stars In Big ENG Win

Aakash Saini

image-lou8wywpAdil Rashid cleans up Shadab Khan as PAK crumble in run-chase (AP)

Brief Scores: England: 337-9 (50 overs) [Ben Stokes: 84 (76), Joe Root: 60 (72); Haris Rauf 3/64 (10), Shaheen Afridi 2/72 (10)] defeated Pakistan: 244 all out (43.3 overs) [Agha Salman: 51 (45), Babar Azam: 38 (45); David Willey 3/56 (10), Gus Atkinson 2/45 (8)] by 93 runs.

Battered and bruised English unit crashed Pakistan’s dwindling semi-finals chances by bowing out of the 2023 World Cup on a high note.

Stokes, Root rain down on PAK with half-centuries

The English top-order, riding high from their newfound winning momentum, collectively fired against Pakistan; with three of their top four batters listing dazzling half-centuries upfront. Following Dawid Malan’s dismissal at the hands of part-time spinner Iftikhar Ahmed for 31, Jonny Bairstow departed a while later after scoring a near run-a-ball 59.

From 108-2, senior Englishmen Ben Stokes and Joe Root shared 132 runs for the third wicket to set up a foundation of yet another 300-plus total for their side. Stokes himself belted two sixes and 11 fours in his entertaining 76-ball 84, while Root produced four boundaries in his calculated 60 before Shaheen Afridi removed them both in quick succession during the death overs.

Out-of-form captain Jos Buttler and Harry Brook added crucial runs in the closing stages, while outbound star David Willey slapped a five-ball 15 to take England to a monumental 337-9 by their 50 overs.

Apart from Shaheen Afridi’s twin burst and Iftikhar Ahmed’s early breakthrough, new-ball paceman Haris Rauf also struck thrice in his 10 overs to finish with 3-64.

Willey celebrates final ODI with a match-winning spell

England speedster David Willey, playing the last ODI for his country, celebrated the occasion by removing both Pakistan openers with the new-ball. At 10-2, senior batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan formed some resistance with identical 30s, while Agha Salman produced a counterattacking half-century in the middle overs.

Gus Atkinson accounted for Babar’s wicket to break a threatening Pakistan partnership while spin twins Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali bowled out their quotas to claim two scalps each.

At 191-9, Haris Rauf’s dead-eyed tonking at the death took Pakistan to 244. However, his 23-ball 35 merely reduced their defeat margin, as Chris Woakes landed the finishing blow to script a 93-run win for England. Outbound star Willey finished his spell at 3-56, thus completing 100 ODI wickets in his final match.