Pakistan successfully chased down and won the match against Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the 8th match of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. However, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first.

While Pathum Nissanka scored a fifty, Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama smashed centuries and helped Sri Lanka post a decent total of 344. Hasan Ali claimed 4 for 71. While chasing, although Pakistan lost quick wickets, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan smashed centuries and sealed the deal.

Who said what after the match?

Babar Azam: “All credit to the boys, especially Abdullah and Rizwan, the way they built the partnership and put pressure on Sri Lanka. We weren’t up to the mark in the first 20-30 overs. All credit to Mendis, he played an outstanding knock. We finished well, all credit to the bowlers. (On Shafique) Very happy with the way he’s playing. This is his first World Cup. His hunger to play, I saw him in the nets so I decided to play him. The way Rizwan and Abdullah built the partnership, they helped us. We believed and built partnerships. Thank you so much (Hyderabad crowd) for supporting us throughout the one and a half weeks.”

Dasun Shanaka: “Mendis is in another zone, played an unbelievable knock in the practice game, scored 70+ in the first game and a brilliant hundred here. More to come. Sadeera is playing really well. We should have finished a bit stronger than this. We were 20-25 runs short on this wicket. Credit to them, they were bowling really good slower balls. I can’t ask too much from them (bowlers). We have given them simple plans. We need to be concerned about the extras as well. We gave too many extras. We had our chances in the field as well, we missed a lot today.”

Mohammad Rizwan, who won the Player of the Match, said: “Always a proud moment for me whenever you perform for your country. I am speechless at this moment. It was difficult. The thing was that after the bowling innings we went back and everyone was confident. Unluckily, they got Babar Azam early but we got good partnerships after that. It’s a good track, was supporting to us. I told Shafique to take it step by step. Sometimes cramps and sometimes I was okay (chuckles).”