ICC World Cup 2019: Pakistan achieve impressive record against England

Mohammad Hafeez missed out on becoming the first century-maker of the World Cup but a vastly improved batting display from Pakistan saw them make 348 for eight against England.

Mohammad Hafeez missed out on becoming the first century-maker of the World Cup but a vastly improved Pakistan batting display left England facing a record chase at Trent Bridge on Monday.

Sarfaraz Ahmed plays a shot during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Pakistan. (AP)

It was the highest score by any team in the World Cup without any of the batsmen scoring a century.

Highest totals in WC without a single 100

348/8 Pak vs Eng, Nottingham 2019

341/6 SA v UAE, Wellington 2015

339/6 Pak v UAE, Napier 2015

338/5 Pak v SL, Swansea 1983

Hafeez made 84 in a total of 348 for eight after being dropped on 14 when Jason Roy floored a routine chance at mid-off following a skied drive off Adil Rashid.

With Babar Azam (63) and Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (55) also making fifties, this was a major turnaround from a Pakistan side who collapsed to 105 all out in a seven-wicket defeat by the West Indies in their World Cup opener at the same ground on Friday.

READ: Chris Woakes achieves historic first for England against Pakistan

Pakistan, however, failed to defend a score of 340 against England -- the world’s top-ranked ODI side -- at Trent Bridge last month.

“I think self-belief is the key,” said Hafeez during the break between innings. “We all know we can handle any situation but we played a couple of bad shots against (the West Indies).

“The pitch is holding up a bit and the spinners are getting turn and stoppage and there is a little for the seamers as well, so I think 348 is a good score,” he added.

Pakistan were undone by a barrage of bouncers against the West Indies and England, unsurprisingly, deployed similar tactics after captain Eoin Morgan won the toss, with their attack featuring recalled fast bowler Mark Wood.

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But Pakistan coped well on a ground where England have twice set a world record for the highest one-day international total -- 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016 and last year’s 481 for six against Australia.

For all the talk about England’s quicks, it was off-spinner Moeen Ali who took the first three wickets Monday on his way to figures of three for 50.

By contrast, fast bowler Jofra Archer’s 10 wicketless overs cost 79 runs while Woakes, who equalled the record of four catches by an outfielder in a World Cup innings, took an expensive three for 71 in eight overs.