LONDON: Pakistan thumped Bangladesh by 94 runs in their final World Cup group match on Friday but it was not enough to earn them a place in the semifinals as New Zealand went through on net run-rate.
Sarfaraz Ahmed’s team needed to smash the world record for margin of victory in a one-day international after winning the toss to keep the dream alive, but a miracle win never looked remotely likely at a sun-drenched Lord’s.
Their total of 315 for nine meant Bangladesh needed only eight runs to end Pakistan’s hopes of progress at the tournament and they reached that in the second over.
Teenager Shaheen Afridi took six wickets as Pakistan won the game easily to finish level on 11 points and games won (five) with fourth-placed New Zealand, leaving them outside the top four due to their inferior run-rate.
The other teams in next week’s semifinals are Australia, India and hosts England, with the final group matches taking place on Saturday.
Pakistan, backed by thousands of passionate flag-waving fans, started curiously slowly, crawling to 38-1 after 10 overs.
Imam-ul-Haq (100) and Babar Azam (96) eventually stepped on the gas, reaching their 150 partnership for the second wicket off 146 balls but both fell in quick succession to suck the momentum out of their innings.
A late flourish from Imad Wasim, who scored 43 runs from 26 balls, boosted the score but Pakistan lacked the muscle to put themselves out of sight.
Mustafizur Rahman took five wickets for Bangladesh, including a superb caught and bowled to dismiss Shadab Khan.
In reply, Shakib Al Hasan (64) scored his seventh fifty of the World Cup to shoot to the top of the tournament’s run-scoring charts, with 606 runs at an average of more than 86.
His seven scores of fifty-plus equal the record set by India’s Sachin Tendulkar at the 2003 tournament.
But Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 221 in the 45th over, with teenager Shaheen returning the best-ever figures for Pakistan at a World Cup of 6-35.
Pakistan paid a heavy price for a slow start to their World Cup campaign, winning just one of their first five matches.
They were shot out for a paltry 105 in their first match, with the West Indies winning in just 13.4 overs, meaning they took a huge hit on run rate.
They came back strongly to beat South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan to sit fifth in the 10-team table, but in the end left themselves too much to do.
Bangladesh ended the 10-team group phase in seventh spot with three wins in their nine matches.
Pakistan’s World Cup semi hopes over as New Zealand progress
Pakistan’s World Cup semi hopes over as New Zealand progress
- Teenager Shaheen Afridi took six wickets for Pakistan
- Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 221 in the 45th over
Fitch affirms Pakistan’s ‘B-’ rating, flags debt risks
- Rating agency assigns ‘RR4’ recovery score under new criteria
- Future rating moves tied to debt reduction and reserve recovery
ISLAMABAD: Fitch Ratings on Wednesday affirmed Pakistan’s long-term sovereign debt rating at “B-,” keeping the country in high-risk territory but signaling no immediate default threat, and assigned a “RR4” recovery rating, a measure of how much investors might recover if the country were to default, following a review under its updated sovereign rating criteria.
Fitch is one of the world’s three major credit rating agencies and its sovereign ratings are closely watched by investors because they affect a country’s access to international capital markets and the cost of borrowing.
Pakistan’s rating was last upgraded in April 2025 to “B-” from “CCC+,” reflecting improved macroeconomic stability after a period of severe financial stress.
“Fitch Ratings has affirmed Pakistan’s long-term debt ratings at ‘B-’ and assigned a Recovery Rating of ‘RR4,’” the agency said in a statement.
It said the action reflects the application of its new Sovereign Rating Criteria, effective September 2025, and the inclusion of recovery assumptions in sovereign debt ratings for the first time.
A “B-” rating means the country remains vulnerable to economic shocks but is currently meeting its debt obligations. The “RR4” recovery rating suggests “average recovery prospects” for holders of Pakistan’s bonds and sukuk if the country were to default.
The agency warned Pakistan’s rating could be downgraded if public debt and debt-servicing costs fail to remain on “a firm downward path,” or if external liquidity weakens.
On the positive side, it said an upgrade could be supported by “significant declines in government debt and debt-servicing burdens,” structural improvements in tax revenue collection, and a “sustained recovery in foreign-currency reserves” beyond current forecasts.
Pakistan is implementing structural economic reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program agreed after prolonged political and economic turmoil.
While the country has faced high inflation, currency pressure and weak growth in recent years, authorities say tighter fiscal policy and external support have helped improve key macroeconomic indicators.
