[Watch] Iftikhar Ahmed takes a wonderful diving catch to dismiss David Willey during PAK vs ENG 2023 World Cup clash

Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed took a magnificent catch to send England batter David Willey back to the pavilion during the 2023 World Cup encounter on Saturday (November 11). The two teams are squaring off in the penultimate league match of the 2023 World Cup at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

England skipper Jos Buttler opted to bat first after winning the toss in the afternoon. Their batting unit performed collectively to help them to a good first innings total of 337/9 in 50 overs.

Ben Stokes (84 off 76 balls) carried his great form after a match-winning century in the previous game against the Netherlands and top-scored for his side again with an aggressive knock. Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root also chipped in with useful half-centuries.

David Willey (15 in five balls) played a vital cameo in the end to provide the finishing touches to the innings. Iftikhar Ahmed ended his brief stay at the crease by taking a fine diving catch running in from the long-on region in the final over of the innings.

You can watch Iftikhar Ahmed's catch in the below video:

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"It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on"- England opener Jonny Bairstow after 1st innings of PAK vs ENG 2023 World Cup clash

At the mid-innings break, English opener Jonny Bairstow reflected on the action that transpired during the first innings and said:

"It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on.There was a fair bit for the fast bowlers. There is a green patch on this wicket and they bowled really well. Then, we accessed the pitch well and tried to capitalize on the opportunity.

He added:

"You will get to know whether this score is par or not in a few overs. I think it's a strong performance from the boys at the back end of the World Cup and it will be better if we go on to defend this total."

At the time of writing, Pakistan are 30/2 after 7.1 overs. Their openers Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman are back in the pavilion. Both batters were dismissed by Willey.

While Pakistan are now officially out of the running for a spot in the semifinals of the 2023 World Cup, England need to win the last game to boost their chances of finishing in the top-7 and automatically qualifying for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Do you think Pakistan can end their World Cup campaign on a high with a win against England? Let us know your views in the comments section.