KOLKATA:
England sent Pakistan crashing out of the World Cup with a convincing 93-run win as Ben Stokes and David Willey helped their side end their miserable title defense at the highest point in Kolkata on Saturday.
Stokes, who retired from ODIs for the World Cup, scored 84 while Joe Root hit 60 to take England to an impressive 337-9 in their 50 overs before Pakistan folded to 244 in 43.3 overs.
“It’s nice to perform well. It’s probably sinking in more at the moment. There’s a lot to think about,” England skipper Jos Buttler said after his side failed to qualify for the knockout stages.
Willey, who had already announced his retirement from international cricket after the World Cup, dismissed Pakistan openers Abdullah Shafiq (none) and Fakhar Zaman (one) before dismissing Agha Salman for 51 to finish with 3-56.
With Salman’s wicket, Willey also completed 100 wickets in his 73rd ODI.
Also fast bowler Gus Atkinson (2-45) had Babar Azam for 38, caught at short mid-wicket by a mis-pull to end the Pakistan skipper’s tournament-low of 320 runs with four fifties but no century.
“Very disappointed with the performance of my team, all the players,” admitted Azam.
Spinners Moeen Ali (2-60) and Adil Rashid (2-55) looked after the middle order as only Salman defied the bowling with a fighting 45-ball knock that featured six boundaries and a six.
Tail-ender Shaheen Shah Afridi scored 27 and Haris Rauf made 35 to take Pakistan at least past 200.
Ali removed Mohammad Rizwan for a 51-ball 36 and Iftikhar Ahmed for three, while Rashid had Saud Shakeel bowling round his legs for 29 before bowling Shadab Khan for four with a googly.
Pakistan began the day needing to beat England by 287 runs to squeeze into the semi-finals with a clean sweep, but that escape route was immediately closed when Buttler won the toss and elected to bat first.
As a result, New Zealand became the fourth team in the semi-finals and will face unbeaten India in Mumbai on November 15.
A day later, Australia and South Africa will meet in the other semi-final in Kolkata.
Stokes — dropped for 10 by Shaheen off his own bowling — rode his luck during a 76-ball innings. Root added a 72-ball 60 after England won the toss and batted.
Stokes and Root built on a steady opening of 82 between Jonny Bairstow (59) and Dawid Malan (31), taking full advantage of the slow Eden Gardens pitch and some strange bowling.
Bairstow hit seven boundaries and a six in the 61-ball knock — his second fifty in an otherwise miserable performance of the tournament.
Malan was the first to go, fooling Iftikhar Ahmed at reverse sweep, while Bairstow was caught at covers by Rauf, Pakistan’s best bowler with 3-64.
It was only when Stokes, who retired from ODIs for the World Cup, got some life that he continued to hit as he did in his century against the Netherlands in Pune three days ago, smashing 11 boundaries and two sixes.
He was eventually dismissed by Shaheen in the 41st over after adding 132 for the third wicket with Root.
Root hit four boundaries in his third half-century in the World Cup before being caught in the lead against Shaheen who finished with 2-72.
Harry Brook made 30, with two sixes and as many fours, and Buttler scored 27 with a six and three boundaries as the pair added a quickfire 45 as England were 97 runs from the last ten overs.
Pakistan finished fifth in the 10-nation table, while England are a further two places down but can still qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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