Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in a record run-chase at Cricket World Cup

HYDERABAD: Mohammad Rizwan and opening batter Abdullah Shafique hit centuries Tuesday as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in a record run-chase at the Cricket World Cup.

Chasing a target of 345, Rizwan played with a pulled right calf and scored an unbeaten 131 off 121 balls. Shafique, replacing out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, scored 113 to help Pakistan reach 345-4 in 48.2 overs.

Pakistan stretched their World Cup record against Sri Lanka to 8-0 and have four points from two victories. Pakistan have beaten both the qualifiers — the Netherlands and Sri Lanka — going into the marquee game against rival India in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

“Always proud when you perform like that,” Rizwan said after a knock which featured eight fours and three sixes. “It was difficult and when you chase like that, it’s always special. Every player in the dressing room had the belief we can chase that.”

Sri Lanka have had plenty of bowling problems at the World Cup in the absence of injured star legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga. The team also lost their opening game against South Africa, which scored 428 runs against the Sri Lankans.

Pakistan’s big chase surpassed Ireland’s previous Cricket World Cup record when it made 329-7 to beat England in 2011.

The hundreds from Shafique, who hit 10 fours and three sixes, and Rizwan overshadowed Kusal Mendis’ 77-ball 122 and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 108 — maiden ODI hundreds that pushed Sri Lanka’s total to 344-9 on a day when bowlers got walloped from both sides on a perfect batting pitch.

Mendis and Samarawickrama showed plenty of aggression in the middle overs with a 111-run third-wicket stand off 69 balls, hitting 25 fours and eight sixes in between them.

Mendis capitalized on two early dropped