CWC 2023: Pakistan sweat it out for do-or-die clash against New Zealand

The Pakistan squad put in rigorous practice on both the batting and bowling fronts prior to their crucial game against the Kiwis in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam focused on big hits while pacers Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi hit the nets, bowling at full tilt while trying to fine-tune their lines and lengths ahead of the crucial clash.

In Pakistan's previous encounter against Bangladesh, the Bengal Tigers elected to bat first.

Decent knocks from Mahmudullah (56 in 70 balls, with six fours and a six), Litton Das (45 in 64 balls, with six fours) and skipper Shakib al Hasan (43 in 64 balls, with four boundaries) took Bangladesh to a modest total of 204 all out in 45.1 overs.

Their 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh and New Zealand's thumping 190-run win over South Africa have raised visions of them progressing to the final four.

Pakistan's qualification scenario will heavily depend on the result against the Kiwis. To go past the NRR of the Blackcaps, Pakistan need to beat the BlackCaps by 83 runs or chase down a target in 35 overs.

The 'Men in Green' will play for a win against the Kiwis to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the semifinals. Both teams will be on eight points if the outcome is in favour of Pakistan but the latter will be slightly ahead of the Kiwis on account of a slightly better NRR.

Ahead of the match, team director Mickey Arthur admitted that Pakistan haven't played to their potential but will look to clinch victories in the final two must-win games.

"Every game we go into, we want to win. And I'll be brutally honest, I don't think we've played to our full potential this tournament yet. I thought the Bangladesh game is the first game where we actually put a complete game together. We batted beautifully, bowled beautifully, and fielded beautifully, which in all the other games, we've done one or two disciplines OK, but our other disciplines let us down. So, I'd like to say we're peaking, but the preparation of the guys and the attitude of the guys' will to get better every day, that has been exceptional. So, I can't fault anybody in terms of that. But we found our best game against Bangladesh and I just hope that's not too late for us," Arthur said in the pre match press conference.

Pakistan's ODI World Cup 2023 squad: Babar Azam (C), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim. (ANI)