Cricket news round-up – 6 July: Pakistan win over Bangladesh in vain; Shoaib Malik retires from ODIs

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 94 runs but fell short of the semi-final requirement; Shoaib Malik retired from ODI cricket; Chris Gayle declared this World Cup was his last; and Sri Lanka announced schedule for home series against New Zealand in August-September.

Pakistan bow out of the World Cup

Despite defeating Bangladesh by 94 runs at Lord’s, Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup after failing to overtake New Zealand on net run rate. Both Pakistan and New Zealand finished on 11 points but the latter had a much better run rate of 0.175 compared to Pakistan’s -0.43.

After winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan were helped by a century from Imam-ul-Haq (100) and a 96 from Babar Azam as they scored 315/9. Mustafizur Rahman picked up 5/75 and Mohammad Saifuddin got 3/77. Imad Wasim provided the finishing touch to the Pakistan innings with his 26-ball 43 that contained 6 fours and a six.

In reply, Bangladesh lost their openers quite early as both Soumya Sarkar (22) and Tamim Iqbal (8) departed before the team could reach 50. When Mushfiqur Rahim played on to Wahab Riaz for 16, Bangladesh were in trouble at 78/3. Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das then added 58 runs for the fourth wicket to keep Bangladesh in the hunt but a slower ball by Shaheen Shah Afridi got the better of Das for 32 and initiated a slide that usurped the whole batting line-up.

Shakib starred with the bat yet again with a knock of 64 off 77 but it was far from enough as Afridi finished with 6/35 – the best figures by a Pakistani bowler in World Cup history – to help Pakistan bowl out their opponents for 221 in 44.1 overs.

Shoaib Malik retires from ODIs

Shoaib Malik has retired from ODI cricket after the conclusion of Pakistan’s World Cup campaign. He had announced previously that he will call time on his 50-over career after the tournament.

“I’m retiring from ODI cricket. I had planned this a few years ago – to retire after Pakistan’s last World Cup match,” Malik said on Friday, July 5. “I’m sad that I’ll be leaving a format of cricket I once loved but happy that I have more time to spend with my family. This will also allow me to focus on T20s.”

Although he didn’t play Pakistan’s last World Cup match against Bangladesh, Malik was given a guard of honour by the players after Pakistan won. He played 287 ODIs and scored 7534 runs with 9 hundreds and 44 fifties.

No more World Cups for Gayle

Chris Gayle has announced that the 2019 World Cup was his last and he has no intentions of putting his “body on the line” again. Gayle played all of West Indies’ games in the tournament and scored an 18-ball 7 in addition to picking up a wicket in his last World Cup outing, against Afghanistan.

“It’s a brilliant privilege and honour to represent West Indies in five World Cups (2003 to 2019),” Gayle told the host broadcaster. “Disappointed to end the World Cup without making it to the final four, but at the same time, I’m grateful to actually be here. A lot has happened behind the scenes, (and) to actually be here is fantastic. To finish off with a win is fantastic for me.”

West Indies won their final game of the tournament, against Afghanistan, which was only their second win from nine games even as they crashed out of the race for the semi-finals. They had qualified for the tournament along with Afghanistan by finishing in the top two at the World Cup Qualifier last year.

New Zealand tour Sri Lanka in August

New Zealand will tour Sri Lanka for two Tests and three T20Is from August 8 to September 6 in what will be their first tour since 2012. The Tests will also mark the beginning of the ICC Test Championship for both sides.

New Zealand have agreed to play Test matches in Galle and Colombo, and the T20Is in Pallekele and Colombo, thereby quelling Sri Lanka’s fears that teams would be apprehensive in touring the island after the Easter Sunday bombings in April.

Schedule:
August 8 to 10: Three-day warm-up game in Katunayake
August 14 to 18: 1st Test in Galle
August 22 to 26: 2nd Test at P Sara Oval in Colombo
August 29: T20 warm-up game in Katunayake
August 31: 1st T20I at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo
September 2: 2nd T20I at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo
September 6: 3rd T20I in Pallekele