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Pakistan batters Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan registered their names in the Asia Cup's history book as their 108-run partnership broke records to take the 'Men in Green' to a competitive score in their must-win clash against Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Rizwan and Iftikhar joined hands when Pakistan batters were struggling on the field and they managed to put up 130 runs on the board after losing 5 wickets. Rizwan and Iftikhar drove Pakistan's innings in a game that was interrupted multiple times due to rain. Their graceful shots to pick up boundaries posed various challenges to Sri Lanka's bowling set-up. Spinners and pacers were forced to rethink their line and length of the deliveries as constant strike rotation between the right and left-handed pair made it difficult for the bowlers to stick to one length. Matheesha Pathirana got the breakthrough as both batters spread carnage all over the field. Their 108-run partnership was the highest 6th wicket or below stand for Pakistan in ODI Asia Cup. Before them, Pakistan had managed to stitch up a 100-run partnership once on their home ground for the sixth wicket or below in 2008. Fawad Alam & Sohail Tanvir built a 100-run partnership against Hong Kong. Coming to the match, Pakistan's middle order was once again a bit of a letdown as Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan combined score read 22. Knocks from skipper Babar Azam (29) and Abdullah Shafique (52) were vital in Pakistan managing to put up 252 on the board. (ANI)
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