Pakistan superbly chased a World Cup record 345 to beat Sri Lanka in the game of the 2023 tournament so far in Hyderabad.
At 37-2 their target seemed a long way off but a superb partnership of 176 off 156 balls between Abdullah Shafique and Muhammad Rizwan laid the platform.
Shafique, who came into the team for Fakhar Zaman, made 113 off 103 balls before being caught at point, but Rizwan and Saud Shakeel then shared 95 for the fourth wicket.
Rizwan received treatment on a back injury, and cramp in his calf, but battled through the pain in heroic style.
The wicketkeeper finished unbeaten on 131 from 121 balls, and overcame the dismissal of Shakeel for 31, to hit the winning run and see his side home alongside Iftikhar Ahmed (22*) with 10 balls to spare.
Sri Lanka made 344-9 from their 50 overs with Kusal Mendis smashing a brilliant 122 off 77 balls and Sadeera Samarawickrama 108 off 89.
The match is the first in World Cup history to have four centuries.
Pakistan have won their first two matches, while Sri Lanka have lost both theirs.
In Tuesday's other World Cup match England recovered from their opening-game defeat with an emphatic 137-run win over Bangladesh.
Wednesday's World Cup action pits hosts India against Afghanistan in Delhi.
Previous record chases in the Men's Cricket World Cup
- 328 - Ireland v England, 2011
- 322 - Bangladesh v West Indies, 2019
- 319 - Bangladesh v Scotland, 2015
- 313 - Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, 1992
- 310 - Sri Lanka v England, 2015
Pakistan perfectly time chase to deliver history
At times Pakistan's approach felt laboured and perhaps too slow to chase the mammoth 345.
Ultimately it was perfectly timed.
The required run-rate crept as high as 8.5 with Rizwan and Shafique left 163 from the final 20 overs.
Years ago, teams would have stood no chance, but the advent of T20 cricket has made that sort of chase the norm.
Even in those final 20 overs it felt like Rizwan, Shafique and Shakeel were controlling the tempo of the game.
There were no rash shots. It was punishing the bad balls - and there were plenty with Sri Lanka well below the standard coach Chris Silverwood would want - and running hard.
Rizwan opens the batting for Pakistan in T20s and him set on 55 when they reached that many overs remaining left them as strong favourites.
His 131 was a career best and he took it upon himself to see Pakistan home.
Making sure he recovers from any ailments is going to be crucial for Pakistan's hopes in this tournament, especially with their game against arch rivals India next up on Saturday.
Sri Lanka start well but fade away
After 30 overs Sri Lanka had blazed their way to 229-3.
Mendis took down the Pakistan attack at will, hitting six sixes, including a mammoth one over mid-wicket to bring up his century.
At the interval Samarawickrama said it got harder to bat as the innings went on, but on reflection Sri Lanka may feel they left runs out there.
Another 20-30 runs may well have been beyond Pakistan and Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva (25 from 34 balls) and captain Dasun Shanaka (12 off 18 balls) may question if they went hard enough.
In the field, they bowled 25 wides, often bowled a leg-stump line and dropped Shakeel on 20 and 23.
That left them unable to build any pressure on Pakistan, let alone substantial pressure, with the absence of the experienced Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga felt.
Silverwood's side will need to bounce back against Australia on Monday or their tournament may effectively be over after three games.
'Every player had the belief' - what they said
Pakistan captain Babar Azam: "It's good for us, the way the top order didn't perform, that the middle order stepped up for the match.
"I'm very happy and impressed with the way he's [Shafique] playing in I think his fifth match and his first World Cup.
"The way he and Rizwan built a partnership helped us."
Player of the match Muhammad Rizwan: "It's always a proud moment for you when you perform for your country and performances like that, when you win the match, is speechless for you.
"It was difficult because when you have a chase like that it's always special for you. The thing for us is that when we went to the dressing room every player had the belief that we can chase that."
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka: "Kusal [Mendis] is in another zone at the moment. It was a brilliant hundred. It is his time in this tournament and there is more to come from him.
"I thought with the way the wicket behaved we were 20-25 runs short. They were bowling really good slower balls and the pitch was helping.
"I can't ask too much from my bowlers. Me and the coaching staff have simple plans but we need to focus on bowling in tight areas and the number of extras. We gave them too many runs and that is my concern. The only way is to encourage them."
