This is the last chance for both England and Pakistan to end their campaigns on a good note. While England doesn’t enjoy a good reputation in this year’s World Cup, Pakistan will regret shifting gears late in the tournament. This context indicates this particular match will be exciting. Both teams are playing for pride. You can catch yourself up to this by reading our pre-match analysis here.
POINTS TABLE: ICC Cricket World Cup points table 2023
Live streaming – England vs Pakistan
Some cricket pundits claim that Pakistan will have to either score 500 runs in this match or they will have to score 300 runs and lock the entire England team in their dressing room to qualify for the semi-finals.
You can predict from this banter how interesting this match will be. This is a meme at this point. And you do not want to miss this meme. While England will want to save face before they leave, it is all fun and games for the Pakistan cricket team. Do you want to miss this match? No, you don’t. Check the article below and find out where you can watch the live streaming based on your area.
CHECK: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Live Streaming
Match preview
Pakistan’s 0.01% chances of the semi-finals
Pakistan shifted their gears a lot late in this tournament. It was so late it is hurting the fans and the team now. There has also been a lot of drama with the board and the players. But we won’t talk about that.
It has always been like this with the Pakistan team. They come, and they reach the winning position by some dumb luck. But this is what the Pakistan team is all about; they will keep you on your toes, keep you hooked for the match, and surprise you when you are not expecting it. Classical entertainers!
They could have had a better chance of reaching the semi-finals if they had won against Afghanistan or South Africa.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan Squad for ICC World Cup 2023 [Announced]
England’s desire to leave on a good note
England had a rough time in India. They came as the defending champions. However, things didn’t turn out as they were planned. They kept losing matches. Apart from their first and their latest match, England couldn’t win. They even lost against minnow teams like Afghanistan and the Dutch.
Unstable batting, toothless pace bowling, and average performance from the spinners made it hard for England to do anything so far. While there are a lot of negative points they have to focus on, Jos Buttler is looking forward to ending this tournament on a good note after winning against Pakistan. Can they do it? Continue reading to find out.
ENGLAND: England squad for Cricket World Cup 2023 [Announced]
Pitch report
This pitch has turned out to be a balanced one. You will see the batters propelling to 300 while the pacers will get some help. Historically, the spinners have gotten much more help out of this surface. But fast bowlers have been more dominant in all the matches on this pitch. The team that has figured out how to use the balanced approach will win.
Key players
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman will be the key players in this match. Fakhar has finally turned back to the firey batsman that we all admired and cheered for. Although not wholly fit, Shaheen has started to return to his mojo. Can England play him during those first few overs? This will be a challenge.
Adil Rashid and Dawid Malan will be the crucial players for England. Adil Rashid will be the key to countering Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmad. They have been horrendous against spin. Babar struggles to pick that googly a lot. This will be an exciting matchup to see. Dawid Malan has experience playing in the PSL and knows how to play the likes of Shaheen and Haris Rauf. If there is someone who can score runs against Pakistan, it is him.
Prediction
Pakistan will win this match. They are back in the form. They could have chased 400 runs in the previous match, which indicates their fighting spirit. There will be a lot of pressure on the boys to play well for the fans. The PCT fans deserve this win, and the men in Green know that. And the fun part is, they will give it all to stand up to those expectations. They are late, yes. But they know how to keep the fans happy. England hasn’t been able to click their form. The way their batters have thrown away the wickets, Pakistan can wipe the floor with them in the middle overs.
Your poll
We polled our WhatsApp group, and almost everyone predicted that Pakistan would win this match. Will you guys be correct on this one? Let’s find out in this match.
Highlights
England won the toss and chose to bat first. They want to put Pakistan under pressure by letting them chase under the lights. Let’s see what happens
| ENGLAND | PAKISTAN |
|---|---|
| Jonny Bairstow | Abdullah Shafique |
| Dawid Malan | Fakhar Zaman |
| Joe Root | Babar Azam |
| Ben Stokes | Mohammad Rizwan |
| Jos Buttler | Saud Shakeel |
| Harry Brook | Iftikhar Ahmad |
| Moeen Ali | Salman Ali Agha |
| Chris Woakes | Shadab Khan |
| David Willey | Mohammad Wasim |
| Adil Rashid | Haris Rauf |
| Gus Atkinson | Shaheen Shah Afridi |
1st innings – England
| ENGLAND 337-9 (50 overs) | |
| BATTING | BOWLING |
| Ben Stokes 84 (76) | Haris Rauf 3-64 |
| Joe Root 60 (72) | Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-72 |
| Jonny Bairstow 59 (61) | Mohammad Wasim 2-74 |
| TARGET | 338 runs in 50 overs |
- On a low, sluggish, and abrasive pitch, England finishes with a commanding 337.
- Contributions from nearly everyone in the top six, with the openers getting off to a solid start, Root and Stokes building on the foundation, and Brook and Buttler providing valuable cameos.
- Pakistan pacers discovered reverse swing towards the finish, but England still reached close to 100 in the final 10 overs because they had plenty of wickets.
- There were a few missed opportunities, including one by Stokes early in the innings. This could have been a lot better. However, Pakistan was missing the spark today. They lost it the moment they lost the toss. They are now out of the World Cup.
2nd innings – Pakistan
| PAKISTAN 244-10 (43.3 overs) | |
| BATTING | BOWLING |
| Agha Salman 51 (45) | David Willey 3-56 |
| Babar Azam 38 (45) | Adil Rashid 2-55 |
| Mohammad Rizwan 36 (51) | Gus Atkinson 2-55 |
| RESULT | England won by 93 runs |
- Would you believe England has won two games in a row? Unfortunately for them, it comes too late in the game, and the reigning champs finish sixth in the tournament.
- Pakistan had no chance. They were to chase this target in 6.4 overs to qualify for the semi-final. Alas!
- Bairstow, Root, and Stokes all scored fifty, and a late burst toward the finish carried them to 337, a formidable score on a low, sluggish surface with lots of spin.
- Pakistan faced an uphill battle after Fakhar was gone cheaply against the new ball.
- England has secured qualifying for the Champions Trophy 2025, while Pakistan has officially exited the semi-finals competition.
Man of the match
Pakistan could have easily chased this target. Their batters are in form. Fakhar could have been a menace to the English. Could have, should have, would have. It is all in the past. However, David Willey took those early wickets and made England’s win possible.