Pakistan captain Babar Azam fell for 80 as his side batted first against New Zealand in a warm-up match for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup on September 29.
Babar hit 10 fours and one six in his 80-ball innings, but he was eventually caught at short fine leg off the bowling of Trent Boult.
Pakistan finished on 270 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs. Fakhar Zaman (56) and Mohammad Rizwan (49) were the other notable contributors with the bat.
New Zealand were in a good position to chase down the target, but they eventually lost by 25 runs. Tim Southee was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with four wickets.
Sri Lanka Suffers Mini-Collapse Against Bangladesh
Sri Lanka suffered a mini-collapse as they lost three wickets in quick succession against Bangladesh in a warm-up match for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup on September 29.
Sri Lanka were cruising at 124 for 1 after 25 overs, but they lost the wickets of Kusal Mendis (47), Pathum Nissanka (38), and Charith Asalanka (12) in quick succession to Bangladesh’s spinners.
Sri Lanka eventually finished on 249 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs. Dhananjaya de Silva (54) and Dasun Shanaka (45) were the other notable contributors with the bat.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 199 in 43.2 overs, with Lahiru Kumara taking four wickets. Sri Lanka won the match by 50 runs.
Other Warm-Up Matches: South Africa vs. Afghanistan Delayed by Rain
The warm-up match between South Africa and Afghanistan was delayed by rain and no play was possible.
The warm-up matches for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup are providing some valuable insights into the form of the different teams. Pakistan and Sri Lanka both won their matches, but they both had moments of concern. New Zealand and Bangladesh will be looking to improve their performances in their next warm-up matches.
The World Cup begins on October 5, so the teams will be eager to iron out any wrinkles in their game before the tournament.
