Cricket World Cup matchday 31: Pakistan’s win piles pressure on England
Pakistan scraped home with just two balls to spare in a thrilling clash at Headingley.
Pakistan’s nerve-jangling three-wicket win over Afghanistan heaped the pressure on Cricket World Cup hosts England, who desperately need a win over India on Sunday.
They scraped home with just two balls to spare in a thrilling clash at Headingley, while Australia thrashed New Zealand at Lord’s.
Mitchell Starc’s five-wicket haul eclipsed Trent Boult’s hat-trick as Australia extended their lead at the top of the tournament standings.
Tweet of the day
Snap shot
Mohammad Nabi has been instrumental for Afghanistan in this tournament and, inside a carnival atmosphere at Headingley and in steaming temperatures, he rose to the fore again. Not only did he remove Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam – arguably Pakistan’s two best batsmen – he was difficult to get away, leading to figures of two for 23, the most economical 10-over analysis in the tournament to date.
Crowd trouble
Bowled over
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi took the headlines in Afghanistan’s innings with four for 47 but it was the occasionally wayward Wahab Riaz who provided the eye-catching delivery. There are few greater exponents of the yorker than Wahab and the left-arm paceman’s 87mph ball to the bottom of off-stump may have cleaned up greater batsmen than Afghanistan tail-ender Hamid Hassan.
Catch of the day
Steve Smith looked on in disbelief as Martin Guptill rose from the turf with the ball firmly planted into his palm to send the former Australia skipper packing for just five runs at Lord’s. Guptill plucked a bullet shot from Smith out of the air at fine leg, with a stunning full-stretch dive.
Quote of the day
What’s next
England v India at Edgbaston, 10.30am
Table
