NEW DELHI: Pakistan's batting hero Mohammad Rizwan said his team was confident of achieving a World Cup record chase against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, clinching Tuesday's match by six wickets.
Rizwan, who scored 131 not out and in the company of opener Abdullah Shafique (113) set the platform for chasing a daunting 345-run target with 10 balls to spare, said the Green Shirts will go with the same plan against India on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
"Our next match is against India and this will give us confidence and we will go with the same plan," said Rizwan of the high-profile clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Rizwan said belief was the key during the mammoth chase against Sri Lanka at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
"We had the belief to chase that down," said Rizwan of Pakistan's chase which beat the previous record of 328 by Ireland against England in Bangalore in 2011.
Rizwan praised Shafique's knock and his partnership of 176 runs for the third wicket.
"Shafique played very well and when there is a 345-run target on the board then as opener you have a burden and he was up to the challenge," said Rizwan.
Rizwan revealed the plan was to set a target for the last 20 overs.
"It was a supporting pitch so we decided that we will not look at the board and take a target of 20 overs and that paid off," said Rizwan of the 163-run target in the last 20 overs.
1/10:Top-5: ‘King’ Kohli’s highest scores in ODI World Cups
2/10:107 runs vs Pakistan (2015 World Cup)
<p>In a high-octane match in Adelaide, Kohli scored a scintillating century against the arch-rival Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup.<br /></p>Getty Images
3/10:107 runs vs Pakistan (2015 World Cup)
<p>Kohli scored a match-winning 107 runs off 126 balls with 8 fours.<br /></p>Getty Images
4/10:100* runs vs Bangladesh (2011 World Cup)
<p>In a debut WC game against Bangladesh, Kohli showed his batting prowess on the big stage and scored a brilliant hundred in Dhaka.<br /></p>
5/10:100* runs vs Bangladesh (2011 World Cup)
<p>Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 runs off 83 balls with 8 fours and a couple of sixes.<br /></p>
6/10:85 runs vs Australia (2023 World Cup)
<p>This inning of Kohli is probably one of the most patient knocks of his life. Chasing a mere target of 200, India lost 3 wickets just for 2 runs, Kohli maintained his calm and notched a crucial partnership with KL Rahul setting the tone for India.<br /></p>Reuters
7/10:85 runs vs Australia (2023 World Cup)
<p>Unfortunately, Kohli was dismissed for 85, but his innings paved the way for India to win the game. Kohli’s 85 runs included 6 fours.<br /></p>Getty Images
8/10:82 runs vs Australia (2019 World Cup)
<p>In a game against Australia at the Oval, Kohli batted aggressively and attacked the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Coulter-Nile.<br /></p>Getty Images
9/10:82 runs vs Australia (2019 World Cup)
<p>Kohli scored 82 runs off 77 balls with 4 fours and a couple of sixes.<br /></p>Getty Images
10/10:77 runs vs Pakistan (2019 World Cup)
<p>In the same WC edition, Kohli yet again showed his class and smashed the strong Pakistani bowlers in Manchester.<br /></p>Getty Images"Shafique built the innings and that made the chase easy."
Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana said his team was 20 runs short.
"I think the turning point was the last 10 overs because we lost more than 20 runs," said Theekshana of the 344-9 total. "Even in the bowling we made a lot of mistakes and we didn't execute our plans."
Theekshana believed Pakistan bowlers were clever in execution.
"Actually, the wicket was a little bit slow in the last 10 overs and they bowled a lot of slower balls and we didn't execute our plans really well."
Sri Lanka next face Australia in Lucknow on October 16.
(With inputs from AFP)
