Bengaluru (Web Desk/Agencies) Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 21 runs as Fakhar Zaman and captain Babar Azam led the Green Shirts to grab the victory in the 35th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
After New Zealand had piled up a mammoth 401-6, Pakistan were 160-1 in the 21st over when the match was halted due to rain.
Following a revised target of 342 off 41 overs, Zaman had moved to 126 and Azam was on 66 with the team on 200-1 in the 26th over when the rain returned, this time bringing the game to an end and Pakistan declared the winners, via Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, as they were ahead of the required rate.
99bcee6ac34c3ed76def0a4abb58dc1fPakistan had needed to overhaul the original target of 402 in 35.3 overs if they were to get beyond New Zealand’s better net run-rate which could prove crucial in the battle for semi-final spots.
However, Abdullah Shafique fell for 4 in the second over.
Zaman and skipper Babar Azam (66) added 194 for the unbroken second wicket stand.
Fakhar Zaman took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers, smashing four sixes and as many boundaries in his 39-ball fifty.
He completed his 11th ODI hundred, and first in a World Cup, with a six and a single off Mitchell Santner. His century came off 63 balls with nine sixes and six boundaries.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first against New Zealand.
The Kiwis set a mammoth target of 402 runs for the Green Shirts in 50 overs for loss of 6 wickets
New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra scored his third century amassing 108 runs from 94 balls while he anchored a strong partnership with skipper Kane Williamson who scored 95.
Glenn Phillips scored 41 off 25, Mark Chapman 39 off 27, Daryl Mitchell 29 off 18.
Pakistani pacer Mohammad Wasim got three wickets , Iftikhar Ahmed (1/55), Hasan Ali (1/82) and Haris Rauf (1/85) picked up a wicket each.
Pakistan's medium pace bowler Hasan Ali completed his 100 one-day international (ODI) wickets.
He dismissed New Zealand opener Devon Conway for 35 in the 11th over of the innings to reach the milestone in his 66th match.
Pakistan had made one change inducting Hassan Ali in place of Usama Mir while the Kiwis made two changes as Ish Sodhi and Kane Williamson replaced Matt Henry and Will Young in today's match.
The Green Shirts now have eight points from as many games with their last match against England in Kolkata on November 11.
Pakistan not only need to win that but also hope New Zealand lose to Sri Lanka on November 9 in Bengaluru at this same venue or the match is hit by rain.
Teams
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Mohammad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
