Cricket World Cup: England beat Pakistan by 93 runs to secure Champions Trophy qualification

England signed off a disappointing Cricket World Cup title defence on a excessive by securing a convincing 93-run victory over Pakistan in Kolkata.

Ben Stokes top-scored with 84 and Joe Root (60) and Jonny Bairstow (59) fired half-centuries as England, who elected to bat first after successful the toss, posted 337-9 from their 50 overs.

Pakistan made a nightmare begin to their run chase when David Willey (3-56) – making his closing ODI look – eliminated each openers inside the primary three overs, whereas Gus Atkinson dismissed captain Babar Azam (38) earlier than England’s spinners took management.

Adil Rashid (2-55) and Moeen Ali (2-60) helped scale back their opponents to 150-7, with a half-century from Salman Agha and late attacking cameos from the tail solely delaying the end result as Pakistan have been dismissed for 244 within the forty fourth over.

Victory for England takes them to six factors and ensures them the top-eight end required to qualify for the subsequent version of the Champions Trophy in 2025, whereas Pakistan’s defeat mathematically ended their slim hopes of reaching the World Cup semi-finals.

England log off in fashion

England have been lucky to see Shaheen Afridi drop a tricky caught and bowled alternative from Dawid Malan when he was but to rating, with the openers initially struggling to modify to a swinging new ball and a gradual wicket.

Haris Rauf was erratic on the different finish as England finally surged to 72 with out loss after 10 overs, their finest powerplay of the match, with Malan reaching 31 earlier than top-edging an tried reverse sweep off Iftikhar Ahmed and producing a low catch from Mohammad Rizwan.

Bairstow made a half-century from 52 balls however fell for 59 when he smashed Rauf straight to Agha at cowl, lowering England to 108-2, just for Stokes – contemporary off his century in opposition to the Netherlands – and Root to placed on a giant third-wicket stand to put Jos Buttler’s aspect on high.

Stokes shortly accelerated after mentioning his newest 50 and produced an unimaginable switch-handed six both aspect of boundaries, though he appeared in discomfort late in his innings earlier than being bowled by an excellent Afridi yorker.

Afridi additionally eliminated Root (60) within the subsequent over after he grew to become the primary English batter to attain 1,000 World Cup runs, whereas Buttler – up the order at quantity 5 – and Harry Brook continued the cost by including a speedy 46 till Brook was caught at mid-off for 30.

Buttler survived two big scares when a supply rolled onto his stumps and Rauf stepped onto the boundary rope, with England’s captain on 27 when he was run out by an excellent throw as he tried to attain the non-striker’s finish.

Rauf bowled Moeen (eight) and Mohammad Wasim eliminated the retiring David Willey (15) within the closing over, having been hit for boundaries the earlier three deliveries, with Gus Atkinson out for a golden duck earlier than Rashid survived the hat-trick ball to finish the innings.

Abdullah Shafique was pinned lbw by Willey with the second ball of Pakistan’s reply and Fakhar Zaman picked out Stokes at mid-off to depart them 10-2, however Babar and Rizwan steadied the run chase with a 51-run third-wicket stand.

Babar (38) pulled a brief supply from Atkinson straight to Rashid and Rizwan was bowled by Moeen, whereas a surprising googly from Rashid noticed Saud Shakeel bowled round his legs to depart Pakistan 129-5.