Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed says his side will attempt to score 500 runs plus in their near impossible task to qualify for the Cricket World Cup semifinals in their final pool match at Lord's tonight.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed and his side targeting 500 runs plus against Bangladesh. Photo: Photosport
Pakistan who play Bangladesh tonight are fifth on the table behind New Zealand who currently old the fourth and final semi-final berth.
They need to bat first against Bangladesh and win by a margin of at least 316 runs to leapfrog the Black Caps on net run rate.
"It is very difficult, 316 runs is a big margin. Only if you're batting first, if you score 600 runs or 500 runs," said Ahmed.
"I don't know what the study is behind this, but I can't do anything ... definitely, we're interested in finishing on a high note," he said.
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Pakistan will also be playing for pride, having been beaten by their South Asian rivals in the last four meetings going back to 2015.
"If you talk about the previous matches, yes, Pakistan lost four, but it is a World Cup match. Both teams look stronger, so hopefully we will do well as a team," Sarfaraz added.
Bangladesh captain Mushrafe Mortaza. Photo: Photosport
Meanwhile, Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes said his team were desperate to seal another victory over the 1992 champions in what will be skipper Mashrafe Mortaza's final World Cup game.
"Bangladesh versus Pakistan at the beautiful Lord's, there's no such thing as a dead rubber. Both teams are desperate to beat each other. We certainly are," he said.
"I often use the word warrior, but he (Mortaza) goes to war for the team and people respect that, understand that, and they love him because of that.
"The players in the dressing room do love Mash. He has said it's his last World Cup and it'll be emotional for him."
-Reuters/RNZ
