Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique put on a show with the bat as Pakistan pulled off a record chase to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in their World Cup 2023 match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Tuesday (October 10).

Chasing 345 to win, the Men in Green found themselves struggling at 37/2 as Imam-ul-Haq (12) and Babar Azam (10) got out cheaply.

However, Abdullah and Rizwan stepped up to the plate under immense pressure, adding 176 runs for the third wicket to put Sri Lanka on the backfoot.

While Abdullah fell after scoring 113 off 103 balls, Rizwan held the one end firmly and stayed unbeaten on 131 off 121 balls to take Pakistan over the finishing line with 10 deliveries to spare.

It was Pakistan’s second successive victory in the ongoing World Cup. Both their wins came while playing in Hyderabad, where they also received a warm reception upon their arrival to the neighbouring country after seven years.

During their stay in the city, Babar Azam and his men enjoyed great hospitality and also got the backing of the crowd in the stadium.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, former pacer Shoaib Akhtar acknowledged the love and support the Pakistani team received in Hyderabad and also thanked the people of the city.

However, Akhtar made a massive gaffe while making the statement as he termed Hyderabad as “nation”.

“Thank you very much to Hyderabad crowd. It seemed that we were playing at home. Hyderabad, we love you, we love your food. What a great nation you are, what a great city Hyderabad you are. Lots of love from my side to Hyderabad,” Akhtar said.

Shoaib Akhtar’s comment didn’t go well with the fans, who trolled him brutally on social media platform X.

Pakistan will now travel to Ahmedabad for their next World Cup against arch-rivals India, scheduled for October 14.