Pakistan thumped Bangladesh by 94 runs in their final World Cup group match on Friday but it was not enough to earn them a place in the semi-finals as New Zealand went through on net run-rate.
Sarfaraz Ahmed's team needed to smash the world record for margin of victory in a one-day international after winning the toss to keep the dream alive, but a miracle win never looked remotely likely at a sun-drenched Lord's.
Their total of 315 for nine meant Bangladesh needed only eight runs to end Pakistan's hopes of progress at the tournament and they reached that in the second over.
Teenager Shaheen Afridi took six wickets as Pakistan, which is now the best figures by a Pakistan bowler in a World Cup game, won the game easily to finish level on 11 points and games won (five) with fourth-placed New Zealand, leaving them outside the top four due to their inferior run-rate.
“I'm happy with this performance. It is a special feeling for me, my family and Pakistan as well. Whenever the senior guys tell me to bowl a yorker, I try to bowl one. Their experience is very helpful for me. It was a slow wicket and we saw Mustafizur bowling a lot of cutters in the first innings and I tried to do the same. This award is special, and I want to dedicate this to my Abbu (Dad),” the youngster said in the post-match presentation.
The other teams in next week's semi-finals are Australia, India and hosts England, with the final group matches taking place on Saturday.
Pakistan, backed by thousands of passionate flag-waving fans, started curiously slowly, crawling to 38-1 after 10 overs.
Imam-ul-Haq (100) and Babar Azam (96) eventually stepped on the gas, reaching their 150 partnership for the second wicket off 146 balls but both fell in quick succession to suck the momentum out of their innings.
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A late flourish from Imad Wasim, who scored 43 runs from 26 balls, boosted the score but Pakistan lacked the muscle to put themselves out of sight.
Mustafizur Rahman took five wickets for Bangladesh, including a superb caught and bowled to dismiss Shadab Khan.
In reply, Shakib Al Hasan (64) scored his seventh fifty of the World Cup to shoot to the top of the tournament's run-scoring charts, with 606 runs at an average of more than 86. His seven scores of fifty-plus equal the record set by India's Sachin Tendulkar at the 2003 tournament.
“I think both matches, in the last two, Shakib batted well, but we didn't get good partnerships in the middle. The wicket was 50-50, we could've chased it. We are extremely sorry that we couldn't lend a helping hand to Shakib who batted, bowled and fielded very well in every match in this tournament,” said skipper Mashrafe Mortaza in his post-match presentation.
But Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 221 in the 45th over, with teenager Shaheen returning the best-ever figures for Pakistan at a World Cup of 6-35.
Pakistan paid a heavy price for a slow start to their World Cup campaign, winning just one of their first five matches.
They were shot out for a paltry 105 in their first match, with the West Indies winning in just 13.4 overs, meaning they took a huge hit on run rate.
“We played very good cricket in the last four matches, but unfortunately we couldn't qualify. Only the one match against West Indies cost us the whole tournament, but the way the boys responded after the India match was honestly commendable,” said Sarfaraz after the game.
They came back strongly to beat South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan to sit fifth in the 10-team table, but in the end left themselves too much to do.
“We need to sit down together, and do lots of work - we have almost two months off. The way our batsmen - Imam, Babar, Haris, and the bowlers, as well, the way they have responded is extremely good. The way Shaheen has bowled in the last four matches has been very encouraging, particularly today,” concluded the captain.
Bangladesh ended the 10-team group phase in seventh spot with three wins in their nine matches.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Olly Greenwood
