ENG vs PAK: Fans in disarray as Jos Buttler nearly confirms Babar Azam's team's ODI World Cup 2023 exit at toss

In a crucial showdown at the ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan found themselves facing a daunting task against England at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. With the odds stacked against them, Pakistan's only glimmer of hope rested on winning the toss and opting to set a formidable target by batting first – a target surpassing the 400-run mark, which they believed they could then defend by restricting England to a mere 121 runs.

This strategy seemed a more realistic prospect when compared to the Herculean challenge of chasing down England's total of 287, especially given the prevailing conditions and the formidable opposition they were up against. However, as luck would have it, Pakistan lost the toss, and England chose to bat first, thereby dimming their hopes. In the wake of this pivotal moment, the cricketing community was alive with reactions and discussions, as Pakistan, with one foot in Karachi, began packing their bags, realizing the uphill battle that lay ahead.

During the match at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on November 11, Pakistan's skipper, Babar Azam, couldn't help but chuckle when England won the toss and chose to bat first. Pakistan's hopes of advancing to the semi-finals relied on batting first, but that opportunity slipped away with England's decision. At the toss, he tried to forge a confident self and said we need to get the England team out as quickly as possible.

"We wanted to bat first as well. But the toss is not in our hands, obviously. We have a good bowling attack. We need to bowl well and get them out as quickly as possible. We have one change. Hasan Ali is not playing, and Shadab Khan comes in," Babar Azam said at the toss. 

Match against South Africa that changed Pakistan’s course in ODI World Cup 2023

In the lead-up to their crucial group stage match, Babar had mentioned their readiness for a Net Run Rate contingency. He expressed confidence in his team, stating that if Fakhar Zaman could hold the crease for 20-30 overs, Pakistan would meet their NRR objectives. Regrettably, the toss didn't favour Pakistan, effectively ending their tournament hopes. Now, they face an exceedingly daunting task in pursuit of England's target.

In the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan's journey has been marked by turbulence. They suffered an unprecedented setback, losing four consecutive matches, a first in the ODI World Cup history. The surprising defeat to Afghanistan added to their woes, and a narrow loss to South Africa in Chennai, a match they had a strong chance of winning, was, in Babar Azam's view, the turning point that dashed their tournament aspirations.

Here's how the fans reacted on X over Pakistan's unceremonial exit from ODI World Cup: