Cricket World Cup matchday six: Pakistan win throws World Cup wide open
The home side made a brave attempt at hunting down a tournament record chase of 349.
Pakistan’s shock defeat of tournament favourites England at Trent Bridge threw the World Cup wide open.
The home side made a brave attempt at hunting down a tournament record chase of 349 but even fine centuries from Joe Root and Jos Buttler could not get them over the line.
Instead Pakistan bounced back from a thrashing at the hands of the West Indies to end a losing streak stretching to 11 completed games.
The ball is now in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka’s court as they look to live up to a thriller when they clash in Cardiff.
Quote of the day
The England captain could find himself in hot water over slow over-rates during the first innings. The fielding side were running almost 20 minutes late but that was before allowable considerations were factored in. A one or two-game ban beckons if the match referee determines Morgan was tardy.
Tweet of day five
Pakistan great Wasim Akram’s 53rd birthday celebrations took an upturn as he watched his country produce a stunning result in Nottingham.
World Cup snapshot
Chris Woakes is among one of the mildest mannered England players in recent years, but he was seemingly provoked into reacting by some heckling from the stands. When he took a fine diving catch to dismiss Imam-ul-Haq the all-rounder turned to ‘shhh’ his critics before pointing at them in celebration.
Tournament tracker
One to watch
Rashid Khan: The Afghanistan leg-spinner is among the world’s most feared limited-overs bowlers and will be licking his lips at the prospect of testing Sri Lanka. If Afghanistan’s underdog story is to continue, he will surely have to be their trump card.
In a spin
Has England’s feared opening pair got a chink in its armour? After South African spinner Imran Tahir dismissed Jonny Bairstow with the new ball, Shadab Khan did a similar job on Jason Roy here. Make no mistake, Bangladesh will be readying Mehidy Hasan or Shakib Al Hasan to test the hypothesis in Cardiff.
Stat attack
Woakes became the first non-wicketkeeper to take four catches in a one-day international, despite it being an otherwise shoddy day for England’s handiwork. In the process he also equalled the World Cup record for an outfielder.
What’s next?
Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, Cardiff (10.30am).
Table
