The 2023 ODI World Cup is more than five weeks old now. Looking at the points table after week five, Sri Lanka and Netherlands joined England and Bangladesh among the teams who have been knocked out of the competition. Pakistan and Afghanistan only have a mathematical chance as New Zealand have all but secured their semi-finals berth following their five-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Looking at the top four of the points table, Team India maintain the numero uno position with 16 points from eight matches. They will finish on top of the standings even if they lose their last league match to the Netherlands. South Africa and Australia are second and third, respectively, with 12 points from eight games, separated by the net run rate. New Zealand are fourth and look all set to remain there courtesy of their impressive net run rate. On that note, let’s look at the flop World Cup 2023 XI of week five.

Openers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Travis Head 

Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Australia’s Travis Head would open the innings in the flop World Cup 2023 XI of week five. The big-hitting Gurbaz was dismissed for 10 against Netherlands and followed it up with 21 against Australia.

Head also had a poor weak, opening the batting for the Aussies. He managed only 11 in the much-hyped clash against Ashes rivals England and was dismissed for a duck, playing a poor stroke in the game against Afghanistan. 

Middle-order: Joe Root, Kusal Mendis (captain), Jos Buttler, Josh Inglis (wk)

England’s experienced batter Joe Root’s horror run with the willow continued in week five. He was dismissed for 13 against Australia, caught behind off Mitchell Starc. Root was then dismissed in embarrassing fashion against Netherlands for 28. He was bowled between his legs by Logan van Beek, attempting a cheeky reverse scoop.

Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis will lead the flop XI of week five. He failed to inspire the team with the bat and in the field. Mendis was dismissed for 1 against India, cleaned up by Mohammed Siraj. He looked completely out of sorts against Bangladesh and holed out for 19.

England captain Jos Buttler makes it to the flop XI for yet another week as his disastrous run with the bat continued in the tournament. The man, who has owned up responsibility for the team’s disastrous campaign, was dismissed for single-figure scores against Australia and Netherlands, perishing for 1 and 5, respectively. Buttler would like to forget the World Cup like a bad dream. 

Australia’s Josh Inglis would be the keeper-batter in the team, although Buttler can also don the gloves. Inglis was a massive disappointment for the Aussies in week five. He was dismissed for 3 against England and fell for a golden duck against Afghanistan.

Bowlers: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

There is no proper all-rounder in the flop XI of week five, but Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Ish Sodhi can contribute with the willow. Mujeeb makes the team following a horror show against Australia. After registering figures of 1/40 against the Netherlands, he dropped a simple catch of Glenn Maxwell. The rest is history. He conceded 0/72 in 8.5 overs and was absolutely clobbered by the Aussie. 

The Kiwi duo of leg-spinner Sodhi and left-arm pacer Trent Boult suffered in the wake of an onslaught from Fakhar Zaman in the match against Pakistan. Boult had figures of 0/60 from five overs in six overs, while Sodhi went for 44 in four, also failing to claim a wicket. 

The Pakistan pace duo of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf also make the list for the battering they received in the same match against New Zealand. Afridi had figures of 0/90 in 10 overs, while Rauf finished with 1/85 from his 10-over quota.

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In the 39th match of ICC World Cup 2023, Sri Lanka, batting first, put 279 runs on the board against Bangladesh. Charith Asalanka was the star with the bat as he scored a century. Asalanka scored 108 (105). Angelo Mathews became the first cricketer to be given ‘timed out’ in cricket which created a big controversy.

Tanzim Sakib was the pick of the bowler with a three-wicket haul. Shakib and Shoriful took two wickets each. The result of the match won’t impact Bangladesh as they are out of the World Cup, but Sri Lanka are still in the race and need to defend 279 runs in fifty overs.

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Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in match number 38 of the 2023 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Monday, November 6. Both the Asian sides have had extremely disappointing World Cup campaigns so far. Bangladesh were the first side to be eliminated from the tournament. After winning their first match against Afghanistan by six wickets, they have lost their last six matches in a row. In their previous game, they went down to Pakistan by seven wickets. Batting first at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, they were bowled out 204, a target Pakistan chased in 32.3 overs.

Sri Lanka are seventh in the World points table, with four points from seven matches. They began the tournament with consecutive losses, then won two matches in a row, but have again tasted defeats in their last two games. After being thumped by Afghanistan by seven wickets, they went down to India by 302 runs. Bowling first, they conceded 357/8 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and then were bundled out for a paltry 55 in 19.4 overs. Here are five player battles to watch out for in the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka clash.

Pathum Nissanka vs Shoriful Islam

Opener Pathum Nissanka has been one of the few bright spots for Sri Lanka in an otherwise disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign. He has scored 289 runs in seven innings at an average of 48.17 and a strike rate of 88.38. After beginning the tournament with a duck against South Africa, he registered four half-centuries in a row. While that’s an impressive stat, the disappointing aspect is that he failed to convert three of the four half-centuries into big scores. He was then dismissed for 46 against Afghanistan and a golden duck against India. What can Nissanka deliver against Bangladesh?

Young Bangladesh left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam has had a mixed World Cup campaign. He has been among the wickets but has been expensive as well. Shoriful picked up three wickets against England but went for 75 runs. Against South Africa, he registered figures of 1/76. He picked up a couple of wickets against the Netherlands before going wicketless against Pakistan. Can he make an early impact in the game against Sri Lanka by dismissing Nissanka early?

Litton Das vs Dilshan Madushanka

Bangladesh opener Litton Das was expected to shoulder additional responsibility in Tamim Iqbal’s absence due to his experience. And while he has shown glimpses of his ability, his overall performance has been very disappointing. He scored 76 against England, 66 against India and 45 in the last match against Pakistan. Das should have converted those starts into bigger scores. Against Pakistan, he played a very poor stroke to lose his wicket. Bangladesh would hope he can come up with a significant performance against Sri Lanka.

Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka has stood out for Sri Lanka in the 2023 World Cup. In fact, he is the second-leading wicket-taker in the competition, having claimed 18 scalps in seven matches at an average of 22.11. The 23-year-old has been consistently among the wickets. He picked up a three-for against Australia, four wickets against Netherlands and a five-wicket haul against India. Madushanka’s dismissal of Rohit Sharma was outstanding. His use of the off-cutters stood out in the game. Can he outfox Das with his variations?

Kusal Mendis vs Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Kusal Mendis sensationally began the World Cup. He smashed 76 against South Africa and followed it up with 122 against Pakistan – both the knocks, unfortunately, coming in losing causes. However, his form has tapered off since then. In his last five innings, he has registered scores of 9, 11, 11, 39 and 1. Leading the team in Dasun Shanaka’s absence, Mendis will need to lift his game.

Off-spinner and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s journey has been a bit similar to that of Mendis. He was Player of the Match for scoring a half-century and claiming three wickets against Bangladesh. However, in subsequent matches, he hasn’t done much. Mehidy found some form with the ball against Pakistan, claiming three wickets for 60 runs. Can he stop a possible onslaught from Mendis in the game against Sri Lanka? 

Mahmudullah vs Dushmantha Chameera

Bangladesh’s decision to recall veteran batter Mahmudullah to the one-day squad before the World Cup has ensured that the team will walk away with at least one positive in the batting department. The 37-year-old has proved that there is still some fire left in him. After 40s against New Zealand and India, he scored a valiant ton in another losing cause against South Africa. Even in Bangladesh’s previous match against Pakistan, he contributed 56 before falling to a brute from Shaheen Afridi. Mahmudullah will be keen to carry on his impressive batting return.

Ruled out of the World Cup squad initially due to injury, Dushmantha Chameera has now returned, with Lahiru Kumara’s tournament ending following an injury. The 31-year-old, who has the experience of 46 ODI matches, is yet to discover his rhythm with the ball. He registered figures of 0/51 in the game against Afghanistan and followed it up with 1/71 versus India. Can Chameera find some form and trouble Mahmudullah in the end overs?

Charith Asalanka vs Mustafizur Rahman

Talented Sri Lankan batter Charith Asalanka has got a number of starts in the World Cup 2023 but has failed to convert them into big knocks. He scored 79 in Sri Lanka’s opening World Cup game against South Africa. Since then, he has reached the 40-run mark only once. Twice, he has been dismissed in the 20s. Can he lift his game against Bangladesh?

Experienced left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has had a disappointing World Cup campaign. He has picked up only a handful of wickets and has gone for a few runs as well. He claimed 2/36 against Netherlands, a rare game in which he did well. Can he find some strike force against the out-of-sorts Asalanka?

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Virat Kohli entered the record books after hitting his 49th ODI hundred. The maestro remained unbeaten on 101 runs off 121 balls as the Indian team thrashed South Africa by 243 runs in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis was told about Virat’s record-equalling hundred by one of the reporters during a press conference ahead of their contest against Bangladesh.

Reporter: Virat Kohli just completed his 49th ODI hundred. Would you like to congratulate him?

Kusal Mendis: Why would I want to congratulate him.

The room was filled with laughter upon hearing the reply.

Meanwhile, Kohli was named the Player of the Match for his effort.

India have 16 points from 8 games, with one more league game to go against the Netherlands.

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Hosts India will take on Sri Lanka in match number 33 of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, November 2. The game is being promoted as a rematch of the 2011 World Cup in which India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets to be crowned world champions at home.

Looking at the current scenario, the Men in Blue are well placed to reach the semi-final, with 12 points from six matches. They are the only undefeated side in the competition so far. In recent matches, they have got the better of New Zealand and England, the two finalists of the 2019 World Cup. If we look at Sri Lanka, they are languishing in the second half of the points table, with only four points from six matches. In their last game, they got thumped by a clinical Afghanistan outfit by seven wickets.

India had a tough time with the bat against England as they were held to 229/9 in Lucknow. However, the bowlers bundled out the Englishmen for 129. Sri Lanka were very poor against Afghanistan. Batting first, they were bowled out for 241, a total Afghanistan eased past in 45.2 overs with seven wickets in hand. Here are the player battles for the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup match.

Rohit Sharma vs Dilshan Madushanka

To say that Rohit Sharma has been absolutely brilliant for India in the 2023 World Cup would be an understatement. He has been exceptional, standing up for the team almost every time they have needed him. Rohit is India’s leading run-getter in the competition, with 398 runs in six innings at an average of 66.33 and a strike rate of 119.16. Aggression had been his forte until the clash against England in Lucknow, where he reined himself in brilliantly and scored a composed 87. India will want Rohit’s golden run to continue till the end of the World Cup.

Pacer Dilshan Madushanka has been Sri Lanka’s chief wicket-taker in the ongoing World Cup. He is among the top ten wicket-takers in the tournament, having claimed 13 wickets in six matches at an average of 24.46. The 23-year-old claimed a three-for against Australia and a four-for against Netherlands. In Sri Lanka’s loss to Afghanistan as well, he picked up two of the three wickets to fall. Can he get the massive scalp of Rohit early? That will put India under some pressure for sure.

Pathum Nissanka vs Mohammed Shami

Opener Pathum Nissanka has been in wonderful form for Sri Lanka in the ongoing World Cup. In six innings, he has notched up 289 runs at an average of 57.80 and a strike rate of 88.65. The 25-year-old scored four consecutive fifties in the matches against Pakistan, Australia, Netherlands and England. He got close in the last game as well, before falling for 46 against Afghanistan. While Sri Lanka will be pleased with Nissanka’s form, they will want bigger knocks from him.

Nissanka’s tussle with Indian pacers at the start of the innings would be crucial. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, he will be challenged by Mohammed Shami as well. The latter has played only two matches in the ongoing World Cup but has been exceptional. He ran through New Zealand’s batting with figures of 5/54 in Dharamsala to play the major hand in India’s fightback. His 4/22 was chiefly responsible for India defending 229 against England. Shami will want to continue his outstanding form in the match against Sri Lanka as well.

Virat Kohli vs Maheesh Theekshana

Senior Team India batter Virat Kohli had a rare failure against England as he was tied down and dismissed for a duck in a failed attempt to break free. The early dismissal, however, shouldn’t affect his confidence as Kohli has been in sublime for India in the World Cup. In six innings, he has 354 runs at an average of 88.50 and exactly the same strike rate as well. Before his duck against England, he had scored 103 not out against Bangladesh and 95 versus New Zealand. The star Indian batter will be confident of getting back among the runs.

Sri Lankan off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana has not had the desired impact in the 2023 World Cup so far. One of the reasons for the same could be the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga. The Sri Lankans have not been able to build pressure from both ends, something which has been a key feature in their middle-overs success. In five matches, Theekshana has only managed three wickets and hasn’t looked threatening as well. Against Afghanistan, he registered figures of 0/55. Can Theekshana rediscover his mojo in what could be the defining battle against Kohli?

Sadeera Samarawickrama vs Kuldeep Yadav

Sadeera Samarawickrama has been among the few positives for Sri Lanka in an otherwise disappointing World Cup campaign. In six innings, he has totaled 331 runs at an average of 82.75 and an impressive strike rate of 104.42. Samarawickrama has notched up a hundred against Pakistan, 91 not out against Netherlands, and an unbeaten 65 against England. He will look to continue his good run.

Barring the match against New Zealand, in which he proved expensive, but still recovered to claim two key scalps, Kuldeep Yadav has been excellent with the ball. In six matches, he has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 26.10. Beyond the numbers, it’s his impact that has stood out. He has broken crucial partnerships that have changed the momentum of the game. Kuldeep will look to stop Samarawickrama in his tracks.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Dushmantha Chameera

After being run out against New Zealand, Suryakumar Yadav played a crucial knock against England. It was not a big one, but his 49 off 47 was a mature knock that gave the hosts the much-needed push at the death. The innings also brought Suryakumar’s versatility to the fore under pressure.

Experienced Sri Lankan pacer Dushmantha Chameera has been added to the team as a replacement after recovering from injury. The 31-year-old registered figures of 0/51 against Afghanistan. He, however, has been experience to make an impact. Can he cut short SKY’s stay at the crease?

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In the 31st match of ICC World Cup 2023, Sri Lanka, batting first, put 241 runs on the board against Afghanistan. Pathum Nissanka was the top-scorer with his 46 (60), which featured five fours.

Fazalhaq Farooqi, who returned to the playing XI, was the top performer with the ball, as he picked up a four-wicket haul.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman added two wickets to his name. The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side are now eyeing their 3rd win of the tournament and need 242 in 50 overs.

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England will take on Sri Lanka in match number 25 of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, October 26. Both England and Sri Lanka have had very poor World Cup campaigns so far and are eighth and seventh, respectively, in the 10-team competition. England have won one out of four games and have a run rate of -1.248. In their last match, they were hammered by South Africa by a mammoth 229 runs. After losing their first three matches, Sri Lanka registered their first victory in World Cup 2023 by getting the better of the Netherlands by five wickets.

Defending champions England will need to lift themselves after their embarrassing performance against the Proteas. Bowling first, they were lethargic and conceded 399/7 as Heinrich Klaasen slammed a hundred, while Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, and Marco Jansen struck fifties. England were bundled out for 170 in 22 overs in the chase. Sri Lanka were not at their best against the Netherlands but did well enough to come out with a win. They held the Dutch to 262 and then chased down the target in 48.2 overs. Here are five player battles to watch out for in the England vs Sri Lanka 2023 World Cup clash.

Jonny Bairstow vs Dilshan Madushanka

England opener Jonny Bairstow has had a disappointing run in the 2023 World Cup so far. In four matches, he scored 33, 52, 2, and 10 respectively. Bairstow’s struggles have coincided with those of England’s in the competition. When he is among the runs, he dominates the bowlers, and that is exactly what the English side needs at the start of the innings. Time is running out for England. Perhaps it is already too late. But if they want to have even a slim chance of qualifying for the semi-final, they need a kick-start from Bairstow.

Dilshan Madushanka has had to lead the bowling attack in the absence of senior bowlers. Even as Sri Lanka have struggled as a team, he has done an excellent job, claiming 11 wickets from four matches. Madushanka picked up two wickets each against South Africa and Pakistan, though he was expensive as well. However, in the last two games, he has been excellent. Madushanka claimed 3/38 against Australia and 4/49 against Netherlands. Can he be the later bowler to dismiss Bairstow cheaply?

Pathum Nissanka vs Mark Wood

Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka began his World Cup campaign on an inauspicious note, registering a duck against South Africa. However, he has scored half-centuries in each of the next three innings. The disappointing aspect is that he has not converted any of the three fifties into big scores. He hit 51 against Pakistan, 61 against Sri Lanka, and 54 versus Netherlands. While Sri Lanka will be pleased with Nissanka’s impressive performances, they would want him to convert the starts into bigger scores.

Far from expectations, England fast bowler Mark Wood has had a disappointing 2023 World Cup campaign. He has managed only three wickets in four games and has been expensive as well. He conceded 55 runs in five overs against New Zealand in the tournament opener. In England’s previous match against South Africa as well, he was clobbered for 76 runs in seven overs. It has not just happened for Wood in the World Cup. Like Bairstow, his lack of efficiency has also hurt England’s campaign.

Ben Stokes vs Maheesh Theekshana

Ben Stokes made a much-awaited comeback to the England playing XI in the team’s previous match against South Africa. However, it was a disappointing return as he chipped a return catch to Kagiso Rabada, having made 5. It would be unfair to criticize Stokes after just one failure. Having said that, if there is anyone who is capable of reigniting England’s sinking World Cup campaign, it is Stokes. He has done it before and in a rather sensational fashion. Can he engineer another fightback?

Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana has played three matches for Sri Lanka in the World Cup but hasn’t made the desired impact yet. He just has two wickets to show for his efforts from three matches. Considering the number of injuries in the team, Sri Lanka would want Theekshana at his best against England. The spinner enjoys tussles against big names, and it cannot get much bigger than Stokes.

Kusal Mendis vs Adil Rashid

Sri Lanka’s star batter, Kusal Mendis, began his 2023 World Cup campaign in scintillating fashion. He slammed a quick-fire 76 against South Africa in a losing cause and followed it up with a brilliant 122 in blazing mode against South Africa in another losing encounter. Since then, Mendis has registered scores of 9 and 11 against Australia and the Netherlands, respectively. He will be keen to get back among the runs against England.

England leggie Adil Rashid had a slow start to the 2023 World Cup. He picked up only a solitary scalp in the first two matches against New Zealand and Bangladesh. In the last two games, he has been much more effective, claiming three wickets against Afghanistan and two against South Africa. Mendis would look to attack him if they cross paths. Rashid would enjoy the challenge.

Jos Buttler vs Kasun Rajitha

England captain Jos Buttler has not been his usual self in the 2023 World Cup. That is also one of the reasons why the team has failed to come up with impressive performances. The usually reliable Buttler has managed a highest score of 43 from four innings. That, too, came in the first match against New Zealand. As leader of the pack, he needs to lift himself and the team.

Sri Lanka medium pacer Kasun Rajitha has an up-and-down campaign so far. He went for 90 runs in the high-scoring game against South Africa. Recalled for the match against Netherlands, he starred with 4/50 in the team’s triumph. The Lankans would expect him to deliver again. Can he stand up to Buttler in the game against England?

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Scott Edwards won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup 2023. “The pitch looks nice and we want to put runs on the board. The team is confident after beating South Africa and we want to win the World Cup,” he said.

Kusal Mendis is concerned with the number of injuries to the key players. “We have to deal with a lot of injuries to the players. Batters will have to take responsibility,” he said.

Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt & wk), 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Dushan Hemantha, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Dilshan Madushanka

Netherlands: 1 Vikramjit Singh, 2 Max O’Dowd, 3 Colin Ackermann, 4 Bas de Leede, 5 Teja Nidamanuru, 6 Scott Edwards (capt & wk), 7 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 8 Roelof van der Merwe, 9 Logan van Beek, 10 Aryan Dutt, 11 Paul van Meekeren

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Australia will face Sri Lanka in match number 14 of the ICC 2023 World Cup at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Monday, October 16. This will be a day-night encounter that starts at 2:00 PM IST. Both the teams have played two games and lost two games. Looking at the points table, the Aussies are in the last position with 0 points and a net run-rate of -1.846. Sri Lanka are eighth, with no points and a net run rate of -1.161. Netherlands are between the two sides, with 0 points and a net run rate of -1.800.

After going down to hosts India by six wickets in Chennai, Australia were hoping for a much better effort against South Africa in Lucknow. However, it was quite the contrary as they suffered their biggest ODI World Cup defeat – by 134 runs. Bowling first, they gave away 311/7. If the Aussies were hoping for the batters to come good, it wasn’t the case as they were bowled out for 177 in 40.5 overs. After the hammering against South Africa, Sri Lanka were involved in another record-breaking game against Pakistan as Babar Azam and co. chased 345, the highest successful chase in the men’s World Cup. Here are five player battles to watch out for in the Australia-Sri Lanka clash.

Pathum Nissanka vs Josh Hazlewood 

Sri Lanka have always had high hopes from their opener, Pathum Nissanka. And he has demonstrated his talent occasionally at the international stage. However, the consistency has not quite been there. In 42 ODIs, Nissanka scored 1447 runs at an average of 37.10 and a strike rate of 83.49, with three tons and 10 fifties – decent numbers but not highly impressive. The story has been the same for Nissanka in the first two games of the World Cup. He fell for a duck against South Africa and gave it away after scoring 51 versus Pakistan.

Nissanka will be up against Josh Hazlewood at the start of the innings. While the Aussies have struggled in the first two games, Hazlewood has been impressive. He was the standout bowler in the loss to India, registering figures of 3/38. Against South Africa, he went for 60 in nine overs but claimed the crucial scalp of Heinrich Klaasen. The right-arm pacer has the knack of striking early, so his tussle with Nissanka will be crucial.

David Warner vs Dilshan Madushanka

Seasoned Australian opener David Warner has had a forgettable start to the World Cup. He got a start against India and reached 41 but failed to carry on. In the match against South Africa, he was dismissed for 13. Given his kind of experience, Warner needs to rise to the occasion against Sri Lanka. He knows Indian conditions very well, and Australia will need big scores from him to make a strong comeback in the World Cup. The question is, does he still have it in him to deliver?

With injury ravaging Sri Lanka’s campaign, Dilshan Madushanka has been thrust into the role of the main pacer. The 23-year-old has been among the wickets but has gone for runs as well. He had figures of 2/86 in the hammering against the Proteas and 2/60 versus Pakistan. Madushanka has some talent with the ball. He may go for a few runs, but if he can get the big wicket of Warner, Sri Lanka will take it.

Kusal Mendis vs Mitchell Starc

Kusal Mendis has been among the few positives for Sri Lanka in their otherwise disappointing 2023 World Cup campaign so far. He will now be responsible for leading the team in Dasun Shanaka’s absence, a responsibility he should cherish. The 28-year-old has played three brilliant knocks in his last three visits to the crease. After smacking 158 off 87 balls in the warm-up game against Afghanistan, he hit 76 off 42 against Sri Lanka and 122 off 77 deliveries versus Pakistan. Sri Lanka would want him to carry on his rich vein of form.

Australia will look to their key bowler Mitchell Starc to knock over Mendis early, knowing how dangerous he can be. The left-arm seamer claimed 1/31 in the loss against India and 2/53 in the defeat against South Africa. His three victims have been Ishan Kishan, Marco Jansen, and David Miller. With all due credit to the batters, his performance has been a bit uncharacteristic, as he is known for claiming big wickets early. The scalp of Mendis in the match against Sri Lanka will be a huge one. Can Starc get the big one?

Steve Smith vs Maheesh Theekshana

Steve Smith is another of those senior guys that Australia will want a lot more from. The right-handed batter made a defiant 46 against India but could not carry on as he was bowled by a brute from Ravindra Jadeja. Against South Africa, he was dismissed for 19, trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada in a somewhat debatable fashion. Smith will need to stand up against Sri Lanka.

Maheesh Theekshana has returned from injury and registered figures of 1/59 in overs against Pakistan – a decent spell in a game where most others went for plenty. Smith is a good player of spin but has been dismissed by smart, slow bowlers lately. Can Theekshana produce a magic delivery like Jadeja to send him back?

Sadeera Samarawickrama vs Adam Zampa

Sadeera Samarawickrama scored a brilliant ton in a losing cause against Pakistan. He is one of the highly-rated batters in the current Sri Lankan setup and showed his worth with 108 off 89 against a strong Pakistan bowling line-up. The Lankans will want him to carry on with the good form.

Aussie leg-spinner Adam Zampa is facing the heat of being the sole frontline spinner in the squad. He went for 53 in eight overs against India without claiming a wicket. Against South Africa, he had expensive figures of 1/70 from 10 overs. Can Zampa find his rhythm against Sri Lanka? If not, he might struggle against the likes of Samarawickrama.

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Pakistan claimed a record-breaking win over Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Tuesday. Sri Lanka posted their third-highest World Cup score ever and went on to lose the match as Pakistan scripted their highest run-chase in World Cup history. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama scored hundreds for the Lankans as Hasan Ali claimed a four-wicket haul. 

In response, centuries from the blades of Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan guided Pakistan to a record win in Hyderabad. Pakistan chased down the target in 48.2 overs. Pakistan have now won their opening two games in the 2023 World Cup. They beat the Netherlands in their opening clash in Hyderabad. Sri Lanka have now lost both their matches, on the other hand. They suffered a massive defeat versus South Africa previously. 

Here, we present the massive records broken in this clash.

Highest World Cup score for Lanka versus Pakistan

As per ESPNcricinfo, Sri Lanka’s 344/9 is their highest ODI World Cup score versus Pakistan. Their previous best total was 288/9 in the 1983 World Cup. Sri Lanka also registered their third-highest World Cup score, following 398/5 versus Kenya and 363/9 versus Scotland in 2015.

Highest score chased by Pakistan

Pakistan chased down their highest score in World Cup history. For the first time, they chased down a score of 300-plus. Before this, Pakistan’s most successful chase was 263 against New Zealand in the 1992 semi-finals. Moreover, this is Pakistan’s second-highest chase in ODIs, following 349 versus Australia.

Highest target successfully chased in World Cup history

Pakistan bettered the previous best target chased in World Cup history, which was clocked by Ireland (328 versus England) in 2011. Moreover, Pakistan recorded the highest successful run-chase against Sri Lanka by any side in ODI cricket.

3rd-highest World Cup score for Pakistan

Pakistan posted their third-highest World Cup score. Their best remains 349/10 versus Zimbabwe in 2007 and 348/8 versus England in 2019. It’s also the first time Pakistan scored 270-plus runs while chasing in the World Cup. Their previous best tally was 266 versus Australia.

Mendis slams the fastest World Cup ton for Sri Lanka

Kusal Mendis slammed a 77-ball 122. His knock was laced with 14 fours and six sixes. Mendis got to his ton from 65 balls. It’s now the fastest hundred scored by a Sri Lankan in World Cup history. He broke Kumar Sangakkara’s record of 70 balls against England in 2015. 

Mendis also slammed the fastest century in the World Cup versus Pakistan. Meanwhile, the dashing opener now owns the third-fastest century in ODIs versus the Men in Green.

2nd-highest score by a Lankan WK in ICC World Cup 

Mendis’s 122-run knock is now the second-highest score by a Lankan wicket-keeper in the ICC World Cup. Sangakkara (124) against Scotland in 2015 in Hobart occupies the top spot. Mendis also recorded the highest ODI score by a Sri Lankan wicket-keeper against Pakistan.

World Cup: Mendis posts highest score by a Sri Lankan versus Pakistan

Mendis’ 122 is now the highest individual score by a Sri Lankan batter against Pakistan in ICC World Cup history. His six sixes is also the second-highest in an innings versus Pakistan after Ross Taylor’s seven in the 2011 World Cup.

Highest partnership for Sri Lanka against PAK in the World Cup

Mendis and Sadeera’s 111-run stand is the highest for Sri Lanka (any wicket) against Pakistan in the World Cup. Notably, Mendis and Pathum Nissanka held the record in the same match for a short time, having added 102 runs for the opening wicket. 

Shafique achieved this record on World Cup debut

Abdullah Shafique slammed a century on World Cup debut after replacing Fakhar Zaman upfront. As per cricket statistician Bharath Seervi, Shafique has become the first Pakistani player to score a century on ICC World Cup debut. He broke the record of Mohsin Khan, who previously scored the highest score for Pakistan on World Cup debut (82 v Sri Lanka, 1983).

Second-youngest Pakistan batter to score a World Cup ton

As per Cricbuzz, Shafique is now the fourth Pakistan batter to score a century against Sri Lanka in the World Cup. The likes of Imran Khan (1983), Javed Miandad (1987), and Saleem Malik (1987) are the others. Meanwhile, at 23 years and 324 days, Shafique is the second-youngest Pakistani to score a ton in the World Cup. Imam-ul-Haq holds this record at 23y 195d vs Bangladesh in 2019.

Rizwan surpasses 6000 international runs

Rizwan smoked an unbeaten 131 versus the Lankans. His knock consisted of 8 fours and three sixes. Rizwan, who has amassed 1892 runs in ODIs at 40.25, slammed his third century and a maiden one versus the Lankans. Rizwan has now gone past 6000 career international runs. He also owns 1423 runs in Tests and another 2797 runs in T20Is.

Rizwan achieves this unique record in ODI cricket for Pakistan

Rizwan’s 131* is now the highest individual score recorded by a Pakistani wicket-keeper in ODI cricket. He surpassed the previous record held by Kamran Akmal, who smashed 124 versus the West Indies in 2005.

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