KOLKATA: Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes all scored half-centuries as England piled up a massive total of 337/9 against Pakistan in the 44th match of the ICC World Cup 2023.
England’s batting lineup justified their captain Jos Buttler’s decision to bat first as they racked up a massive total on the board.
Opening batters Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow laid a solid foundation for a big total, courtesy of a magnificent 82-run stand, which lasted when Iftikhar removed the former in the 14th over.
Malan scored 31 in 39 deliveries with the help of five boundaries.
Bairstow then stitched a brief 26-run partnership with Joe Root before Haris Rauf sent him packing in the 19th over. He scored 59 off 61 balls, hitting seven boundaries and a six.
Root then joined forces with Ben Stokes to put England in a commanding position as the pair added 132 runs for the third wicket with both scoring half-centuries.
The duo appeared to be in complete command before both fell in quick succession, causing England to slip to 257/4 in 42.2 overs.
Stokes was the core aggressor of the third-wicket stand, contributing 84 runs in 76 deliveries, laced up with 11 boundaries and two sixes while Root scored 72-ball 60 which featured four boundaries.
Following their departure, Jos Buttler and Harry Brook took the reigns of England’s batting charge and knitted a brisk 45-run partnership to take the defending champions past the 300-run mark.
Brook scored 30 in just 17 deliveries with the help of two boundaries and as many sixes while Buttler struck a quick 28. His 18-ball knock featured three boundaries and a six.
Later, David Willey’s quickfire 15-run cameo bolstered England’s total to 337/9.
The bowling all-rounder smashed two boundaries and a six amid his five-ball knock.
Haris Rauf led the bowling attack for Pakistan in their last ICC World Cup 2023 fixture with 3/64, followed by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr, who took two each.
