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[Saba Sports News] In Match 44 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, England faced Pakistan on November 11. England, led by captain Jos Buttler, chose to bat first, putting pressure on Pakistan’s semi-final aspirations. Openers Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow gave England a solid start with an 82-run partnership, but Pakistan responded by dismissing both.
A notable moment occurred during England’s batting when Mohammad Rizwan missed collecting a sharply turned ball, reminiscent of former Indian captain MS Dhoni’s technique of preventing such mishaps. The incident happened in the 24th over, with Ben Stokes attempting a reverse sweep, but the ball eluded Rizwan.
Ben Stokes then played a key role, forming a significant partnership with Joe Root. Stokes scored an impressive 84 off 76, while Root contributed 60. Cameos from Harry Brook and Jos Buttler propelled England to a strong finish at 337/9. Pakistan’s Haris Rauf led the bowling with 3/64, supported by Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr with two wickets each.