Bangladesh knocked out after Afridi and Fakhar fashion big Pakistan win

Pakistan put in their most convincing performance of the World Cup to end their longest World Cup losing run, trouncing a dismal Bangladesh by seven wickets and keeping their faint hopes of semi-final qualification alive.

The win was set up by a commanding performance from Shaheen Shah Afridi - now the fastest to 100 ODI wickets for quick bowlers and the leading wicket-taker at this World Cup - to dismiss Bangladesh for 204. Fakhar Zaman, freshly recalled to the side, then turned in his best showing in months, a vintage 74-ball 81 that set Pakistan up for a win that gave both their confidence and net run-rate a shot in the arm.

Bangladesh's best passage of play followed, a 79-run partnership between Litton Das and Mahmudullah that reset the innings and undid the early damage somewhat. It helped that Pakistan's premier legspinner Usama Mir had another off day, unable to land his lengths consistently. He found himself regularly punished, particularly by Mahmudullah, who looked by far the most accomplished batter.

The turning point came when Litton fell with the softest of dismissals against a harmless delivery from Iftikhar Ahmed, a long hop which the batter wafted up to short midwicket. Litton stood transfixed in dismay for nearly half a minute at the crease, almost as if his body would not permit him to walk off.

Bangladesh rebuilt, but the momentum had been sapped right out of the innings. Shakib Al Hasan took his time to get going, and once Afridi came back, he cleaned Mahmudullah up with an unplayable reverse-swinging delivery from around the wicket. With reverse swing coming into play in a big way for the final 15 overs, Bangladesh's lower-order batters found themselves at a further disadvantage, and Pakistan began to apply the squeeze as Babar Azam rotated his bowlers with rare judiciousness.

Only when Shakib belatedly decided to take on the spinners did Bangladesh look like showing any intent. Iftikhar was slapped for three boundaries and Mehidy Hasan Miraz deposited Usama for a six over cow corner, so Babar went back to Rauf's pace, and he struck in his first over, getting rid of Shakib. It then took Mohammad Wasim just seven balls to clean up the tail, Mehidy, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman finding their stumps knocked back as they folded for 204.