Pakistan v Sri Lanka result: Pakistan chase down huge total to lay down the marker at Cricket World Cup

Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan celebrates after scoring the winning run during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Photo / AP

Mohammad Rizwan and opening batter Abdullah Shafique hit centuries today as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in a record run-chase at the Cricket World Cup.

Chasing a target of 345, Rizwan played with a pulled right calf and scored an unbeaten 131 off 121 balls. Shafique, replacing out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, scored 113 to help Pakistan reach 345-4 in 48.2 overs.

Pakistan stretched its World Cup record against Sri Lanka to 8-0 as has four points from two victories. Pakistan have beaten both the qualifiers — the Netherlands and Sri Lanka — going into the marquee game against rival India in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Sri Lanka has had plenty of bowling problems at the World Cup. The team also lost its opening game against South Africa, which scored 428 runs against the Sri Lankans.

Pakistan’s big chase surpassed Ireland’s previous Cricket World Cup record when it made 329-7 to beat England in 2011.

The hundreds from Shafique and Rizwan, who hit eight fours and three sixes, overshadowed Kusal Mendis’ 77-ball 122 and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 108 — maiden ODI hundreds that pushed Sri Lanka’s total to 344-9 on a day when bowlers got walloped from both sides on a perfect batting pitch.

Mendis and Samarawickrama showed plenty of aggression in the middle overs with a 111-run third-wicket stand off 69 balls.

Mendis capitalized on two early dropped catches inside the powerplay when first off-color Shaheen Afridi (1-66) couldn’t hold onto a sharp return catch and Imam-ul-Haq dropped a sharp chance at point. Mendis hit 14 fours and six sixes, including a flicked six over midwicket against Pakistan’s best bowler of the day — Hasan Ali (4-71) — that brought up his century off 65 balls.

Samarawickrama took charge after Mendis holed out to a well-judged catch by Imam at mid-wicket fence. Pakistan pulled back in the final 10 overs despite Samrawickrama raising his century with Haris Rauf (2-64) picking up both his wickets in the final over.

Pakistan had a sluggish start to the chase when Dilshan Madushanka got the key wickets in the powerplay as Imam pulled to fine leg and captain Babar Azam (10) edged a leg side flick to the wicketkeeper.

Shafique and Rizwan then began Pakistan’s second highest ever run-chase in an ODI as Sri Lankan bowlers like Matheesha Pathirana sprayed plenty of wayward deliveries with his slingy action to end up with 1-90.