In their encounter against Sri Lanka on Tuesday at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi Stadium International, Pakistan's cricket team set a new World Cup record by chasing down the highest total ever.

Thanks to magnificent centuries by Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique, who served as the innings' pillars after Sri Lanka dealt the Green Shirts early blows that sent captain Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq to the pavilion early in the game, the Green Shirts were able to successfully chase down the enormous 345-run goal.

The run chase, which surpassed the previous record-breaking chase of 329 runs set by Ireland against England, is the highest in World Cup history. Over the course of the previous 12 ODI World Cups, just a few chases of over 300 runs have been completed.

Back in the 2011 World Cup, England fell agonisingly short of getting onto the list in the tied match against India during the 2011 World Cup when it scored 338/8 in the second innings. 

Here is the full list of top five chases:

Pakistan	345/4	Sri Lanka	2023
Ireland	329/7	England	2011
Bangladesh	322/3	West Indies	2019
Bangladesh	322/4	Scotland	2015
Sri Lanka	313/7	Zimbabwe	1992

 

Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama's great batting performances earlier in the day helped Sri Lanka reach a big 344-run total, which was the best total ever against Pakistan in a World Cup match, surpassing India's 336 in the 2019 World Cup in Manchester, England.

Mendis' knock, which lasted 14 hours and contained six sixes, saw him score 122 runs in just 77 deliveries for an outstanding strike rate of 158.44.

Samarawickrama, in the meantime, maintained the tempo and reached his century, amassing 108 runs in 89 balls while hitting 13 boundaries.

Men in Green suffered early setbacks after losing Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam in only 7.1 overs each, leaving them at 37-2. However, the match-winning combination between Rizwan and Shafique, a World Cup rookie, turned the tide for the hapless Pakistani team.

The 176-run partnership between the two hitters gave their team the much-needed respite and put them back in a commanding position.

Rizwan stayed until the end and scored 131 runs to help the Green Shirts win the match, passing Ramiz Raja's 119 against New Zealand in 1992 as the second-highest individual score in the World Cup. Shafique left the field after scoring 113 off 103 thanks to 10 fours and three sixes.