In a match at the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan secured their third victory by defeating Bangladesh by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens. Fakhar Zaman, who returned to the team after missing some matches during the recent Asia Cup, played a pivotal role in this win by scoring a brilliant 81 runs off 74 balls. He was awarded the Player of The Match for his outstanding performance.
Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique (68) built a solid opening partnership of 128 runs, laying a strong foundation for Pakistan. Although Pakistan lost their skipper, Babar Azam, early in the innings with just nine runs, Mohammad Rizwan's unbeaten 26 and Iftikhar Ahmed's 17 not out guided Pakistan to a comfortable seven-wicket victory.
The bowlers also played a crucial role in Pakistan's win, with Shaheen Shah Afridi taking 3 wickets for 23 runs, Mohammad Wasim grabbing 3 wickets for 31 runs, and Haris Rauf contributing with 2 wickets for 35 runs. They collectively bundled Bangladesh out for 204 runs in 45.1 overs.
Fakhar Zaman credited his time away from the game for his return to form and expressed his determination to continue performing well in the upcoming matches. He mentioned that he had practiced extensively after the Asia Cup and felt confident in the team camp. Fakhar's approach during the match was to see off the first four overs and then play aggressively, focusing on his role in the team.
After reaching 100 runs in their partnership, Fakhar and Abdullah aimed to finish the game before the 30-over mark. Fakhar, despite some recent struggles, is looking forward to making significant contributions in the upcoming matches.
(With Agency Inputs)
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