Pakistan will face Bangladesh on Friday (5th July) in their last round-robin stage match of the ongoing 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. To qualify for the semi-final of this tournament, while Pakistan have to do some incredible tasks that no other teams have ever done in ODI cricket history, their captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is hoping for their best performance in this match.
Australia, India and the host side England have already qualified for the semi-finals of the ongoing 2019 CWC. New Zealand are very close to becoming the fourth and final team to qualify for the semi-finals of this tournament. Pakistan only can destroy New Zealand’s semi-final hope if they beat Bangladesh by more than 300 runs on Friday. Meanwhile, Pakistan will have no chance to qualify for the semi-final if Bangladesh manage to bat first in this match.
It is very difficult, 316 runs is a big margin – Sarfaraz Ahmed
Sarfaraz Ahmed is aware that Pakistan needs to score more than 500 runs in the first innings against Bangladesh. Talking about their upcoming match, Pakistan captain wants to finish the game on a high note.
Ahead of this match, Sarfaraz said, “It is very difficult, 316 runs is a big margin. Only if you’re batting first, if you score 600 runs or 500 runs.
“I don’t know what the study is behind this, but I can’t do anything… definitely, we’re interested in finishing on a high note. So we will try our best in tomorrow’s match.”
In recent times, Pakistan hasn’t a good international record against Bangladesh. Their last ODI victory against Bangladesh was on 4th March 2014. Since then, Bangladesh have beaten Pakistan in four successive ODIs.
However, the Pakistan captain is not thinking about their recent ODI records against Bangladesh. He is hopeful for their best performance in this upcoming match.
Sarfraz Ahmed claimed, “If you talk about the previous matches, yes, Pakistan lost four, but it is a World Cup match. Both teams look stronger, so hopefully we will do well as a team.”
Here is a clip of Sarfaraz Ahmed’s bold statement:
Sarfaraz Ahmed "we will try to score 500" #PAKvBAN #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/JPN3sQ5DR8
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) July 4, 2019
Bangladesh cricketers are also ready to finish this tournament on a high note
On the other hand, though Bangladesh have no more chance to qualify for the semi-finals, they have hugely impressed as a team in this tournament. While it is going to be the final World Cup match for the Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, the Bangladesh cricketers are desperate to make it memorable with a victory.
Bangladesh head coach Steve Rhodes said, “Bangladesh versus Pakistan at the beautiful Lord’s, there’s no such thing as a dead rubber. Both teams are desperate to beat each other. We certainly are.
“I often use the word warrior, but he (Mortaza) goes to war for the team and people respect that, understand that, and they love him because of that.
“The players in the dressing room do love Mash. He has said it’s his last World Cup and it’ll be emotional for him.”
In the Cricket World Cup history, Pakistan and Bangladesh have met only once in 1999 CWC at Northampton. Bangladesh stunned Pakistan in that match by beating them by 62 runs.