Cricket Highlights, 31 Oct: ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (31st Match) – Pakistan vs Bangladesh – Bangladesh delivered another depressing day.

Pakistan vs Bangladesh (31st Match) – Highlights

Due to the batsmen’s vulnerability, bowlers are also unable to provide the desired outcomes. Devastated by five straight losses, Pakistan’s pressure also let down the Bangladeshi team. Because of the bad performance of the bowlers who came in after the batsmen, Shakib’s team lost against Babar’s team by an enormous margin of seven wickets.

The 31st World Cup match took place on Tuesday, October 31, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata between Bangladesh and Pakistan. The Tigers’ innings was cut down to just 204 runs in 45.1 overs after they won the toss and chose to bat first.

Pakistan responded by winning with 105 balls remaining after losing 3 wickets. In the current World Cup, Babar Azam’s team saw the face of success after suffering four straight losses.

Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman, two Pakistani openers, attacked the Tiger bowlers right away, chasing an easy target. In 21 overs, they scored 128 runs for the team. In the opening delivery of the 22nd over, Bangladesh took a wicket. With nine fours and two sixes, Abdullah Shafique’s innings ended with 68 runs off 69 balls.

For 160 runs, Pakistan lost their second wicket. The crease was not to Captain Babar Azam’s benefit. He was taken off guard after trying to hit Miraz for a six with nine runs off of sixteen balls. However, Fakhar made a comeback after five games, scoring 81 runs in his innings. He hit seven sixes and three fours throughout his 74-ball innings. Without any urgency, he could have achieved the century.

In the end, Pakistan secured the win in 32.3 overs with Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten innings of 26 from 21 balls and Iftikhar Ahmed’s 17 runs from 15 balls. Miraz was the most successful bowler of Bangladesh with 3 wickets at the cost of 60 runs in 9 overs.

Pakistan glimpsed the face of triumph in the current World Cup, following four straight losses. Bangladesh, however, was unable to break free from its downward spiral. The Tigers dropped their sixth straight game after defeating Afghanistan to begin the season. In World Cup history, Bangladesh has never lost so many games in a row.

The batsmen were unable to bring the bowlers’ fighting capital after winning the toss. Bangladesh was bowled out before they could bat. Shaheen Afridi trapped Tanjid Tamim in LBW. A troubled man, Nazmul Hossain could not maintain composure. The following over, Shaheen came in to bowl and caught out Shanto for four runs.

After losing two wickets for 10 runs in 5 overs, Mushfiqur Rahim was promoted up the batting order. He also failed. Bangladesh’s score was only 23 in 6 overs! Mushfiqur’s innings ended with 5 runs. Then, Liton Das formed a partnership with Mahmudullah Riyad for the fourth wicket. Mahmudullah Riyad got promotion in the batting order and dropped to fifth place. He also repaid the trust with the bat.

The Tigers completed their team’s half-century at the end of the 11th over with their pair. Then in the 17th over, the pair completed 50 runs. Bangladesh completed their century in the 21st over. But right after that Liton left.

Liton (45) could not match Mahmudullah’s fifty-score. After hitting six fours and one six in his 56 runs off 70 balls, Shaheen bowled Mahmudullah. Then Towhid Hridoy came back to bat after giving a catch to Osama Mir for a six. 

After that, Shakib-Miraz was leading the team towards 200 by forming a pair. But Shakib departed for 185 runs. Approaching his half-century, he got caught off Agha. Tiger Captain got out after scoring 43 runs off 64 balls.

Miraz hit one four and one six in his 25 runs off 30 frames. Bangladesh was short-lived following Miraz’s exit. The final three batters were brought back by Mohammad Wasim.

Shaheen Afridi was the most successful bowler for Pakistan. He took 3 wickets with only 23 runs including a maiden in 9 overs. Mohammad Wasim also took 3 wickets with 31 runs in 8.1 overs. Two tigers have become victims of Haris Rauf. The remaining two went to Iftikhar and Usama Mir.

Pakistan vs Bangladesh Scoreboard 

Bangladesh – 204/10 (45.1)   

Pakistan – 205/3 (32.3) 

Result – Pakistan won by 7 wickets

Player of the match – Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman

Pakistan vs Bangladesh Playing XIs