Pakistan cruised past New Zealand by 21 runs (DLS method) in the 35th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India, on Saturday and are still alive in their race to the event's semi-final.
Courtesy of a blistering batting display by Fakhar, Pakistan were 21 runs ahead on the DLS score after 25.3 overs and emerged victorious and have made their way to the fifth position at the World Cup points table.
ICC World Cup 2023 points table
To qualify for the semi-final, as much as Pakistan need to beat England on November 11 in Kolkata and pray that Sri Lanka do their job against the Black Caps in Bengaluru on November 9, the Men in Green need Afghanistan to lose one of their remaining two matches — against Australia and South Africa — or both (preferably) because the Afghans have same points (8) as Babar Azam's men despite playing one less match.
Earlier today, the match was stopped due to rain while the Green Shirts were batting at 200-1 in 25.3 overs with Fakhar Zaman (126*) and skipper Babar Azam (66*) still on the crease.
The 194-run partnership between Azam and Fakhar propelled the Green Shirts to an essential win as they now prepare to take on the struggling England team at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on November 11.
Fakhar also scored the fastest century (63 balls) for Pakistan in a World Cup match overtaking former cricketer Imran Nazir who did it in 95 balls against Zimbabwe in the 2007 World Cup.
Batting first, the Black Caps posted 401-6, the second-highest total of the ongoing competition on the back of Rachin Ravindra (108), Kane Williamson (95) and Glenn Phillips (41).
Mark Chapman (39), Daryl Mitchell (29) and Mitchell Santner (26) made valuable contributions.
Pakistan's fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf set unwanted records as both pacers bowled the most expensive spells for the Men in Green in World Cup history with the former conceding 90 runs in 10 overs, while the latter conceded 85 in 10 overs.