‘We’ve found a Babar Azam-like batter’: Shoaib Akhtar and Misbah-ul-Haq sing praises of Abdullah Shafique after Pakistan’s record chase

Shafique has played 14 Test matches for Pakistan has 1220 runs to his name that comprises of four tons and four half centuries. His triple digit score on Tuesday though was his first for Pakistan in the ODIs.

World Cup 2023: Abdullah Shafique century vs SL

Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique celebrates his century during the ICC Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. (AP)

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The highest run chase in ODI World Cup history. It’s what Pakistan achieved in their second game of the 2023 World Cup in Hyderabad on Tuesday. A chase orchestrated by player of the match Mohammad Rizwan and tournament debutant Abdullah Shafique.

Chasing 345, Pakistan went two wickets down at the score of 37 with both Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Babar Azam back in the hut. It is then that Shafique stitched together a 176 run stand for the third wicket with Rizwan, scoring 113 off 103 deliveries. An innings that has earned him big ups back home. Post-match, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar would go as far as calling Shafique similar to his national team skipper.

“Babar Azam could not do well but Babaz Azam jaisa hume ek aur player mil chuka hai (we’ve found a player just like Babar Azam). His name is Abdullah Shafique, hats off to you,” Akhtar said on his YouTube video. “It was a chanceless innings. The wicket was quite easy here (Hyderabad), that’s a given. Had he stayed in the middle though, the game would’ve been over quite a few overs ago. But having said that, what a great superstar he is. How comprehensively he plays, how he asserts himself. I liked him a lot. World Cup debut and a hundred, you cannot ask for a better start.”

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Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq would also credit Shafique for shouldering the run-chase against Sri Lanka.

Speaking during A Sports’ post-game show, The Pavilion, Misbah said, “The biggest difference between the World Cups of the past to this one, the extra fielder in from the 10th to the 40th overs in the powerplay, that is a big advantage. On a wicket that’s not assisting the spinners, who are the main bowlers for Sri Lanka in that passage, you fancy your chances. Pakistan have played normal cricket, no fancy shots.

“Abdullah Shafique – the Test cricket he’s played, his technique – he displayed all of it. The most important thing though was his reading of the game, which we don’t normally associate with our players when they come at the international scene,” he further added.

Shafique has played 14 Test matches for Pakistan has 1220 runs to his name that comprises of four tons and four half centuries. His triple digit score on Tuesday though was his first for Pakistan in the ODIs.

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Babar Azam and Co next play India in the league stage on Saturday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.