In their final group stage match of the ICC World Cup 2023, England secured a convincing 93-run victory over Pakistan at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Chasing a target of 338 for their fifth win, the Pakistan team struggled against England’s spinners and succumbed to turning deliveries.
Despite efforts from Agha Salman (51), Babar Azam (38), and Mohammad Rizwan (36), Pakistan couldn’t sustain the momentum, eventually getting bowled out for 244 runs in 43.3 overs. Moeen Ali (2 wickets) and Adil Rashid (2 wickets) played crucial roles in restricting the Pakistani batters.
David Willey made an early impact with two quick wickets, dismissing Abdullah Shafique (0) and Fakhar Zaman (1) within three overs. Willey also reached a personal milestone by completing 100 wickets in one-day internationals.
In the first innings, England’s decision to bat first proved fruitful as Ben Stokes (84), Joe Root (60), and Jonny Bairstow (59) contributed to a total of 337/9 in 50 overs. Despite Haris Rauf’s three-wicket haul, Pakistan couldn’t prevent England from setting a challenging target.
