Young talents power Pakistan to a crushing victory over Bangladesh at Lord's

Pakistan's World Cup campaign ended with a comprehensive 94-run victory over Bangladesh at Lord's and the performances of some of their young talents bode well for the future.

Teenage paceman Shaheen Afridi routed the Tigers' lower-order batting to finish with 6-35 after 24-year-old Babar Azam (96) and 23-year-old Imam-ul-Haq (100) had steered Pakistan to a total of 315-9.

That score meant they needed to bowl out Bangladesh for just seven to overturn their net run-rate deficit with New Zealand and qualify for the semi-finals.

Unsurprisingly, that feat proved beyond Pakistan but they racked up a fifth win in seven completed matches since being bowled out for 105 by the West Indies in their opening game of the tournament.

Babar, 2-1 favourite to top-score for Pakistan at the World Cup, obliged comfortably and 4-1 chance Mohammad Amir pipped Afridi 17-16 in the race to be their top wicket-taker.

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan signed off an outstanding campaign with an innings of 64 that took him back to the top of the tournament runscoring list.

Shakib had been 5-1 second-favourite to be the Tigers' top World Cup batsman and Mustafizur Rahman, who claimed his second five-wicket haul in a row, was their leading bowler at 3-1.

With the four semi-finalists confirmed, England are slight favourites to lift the trophy at 15-8 ahead of Australia (2-1), India (5-2) and New Zealand (9-1).

A win for Australia against South Africa on Saturday would secure their place at the top of the table. If the Aussies slip up then India would go top with a victory over Sri Lanka.

Third-placed England will play the team who finish second in the table in Thursday's semi-final at Edgbaston. New Zealand take on the winners of the league stage at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

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