World Cup 2019: Pakistan chases piece of ODI history

Pakistan needs to defeat Bangladesh by an unprecedented margin of runs to pip New Zealand to the last semifinal spot.

Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, speaking in the pre-match press conference, said his team's primary focus is to win against Bangladesh.

Pakistan must beat Bangladesh by at least 316 runs to progress through to the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup. England winning its final two league matches against India and New Zealand left Pakistan on the brink of elimination. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Co. have an outside chance of sneaking through but it has to beat Bangladesh by an unprecedented margin of runs.

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New Zealand's 290-run victory over Ireland in 2008 remains the biggest margin of victory in terms of runs in One-Day International cricket.

For Pakistan to reach #CWC19 SF, in their final match...
bat first
make 400, and dismiss opponent for 84 and win by 316 runs
or
make 350, dismiss opponent fo 38 and win by 312 runs
If Pakistan bat second, margins won't work #CWC2019#EngvNZ#NZvEng

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 3, 2019

 

Pakistan's own highest margin of victory in ODIs came against Ireland, which it beat by 255 in Dublin in 2016. Its second-highest winning margin was 244 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last year, when Fakhar Zaman scored his maiden ODI double hundred to help Pakistan post 399 batting first. A four-for from Shadab Khan helped Pakistan bowl out Zimbabwe for 155.

After just one win in its opening five matches, Pakistan has won its last three league matches on the trot and can get to a maximum of 11 points with a victory over Bangladesh at Lord's on Friday.