Pakistan kept their hopes alive for a spot in the semifinals of the 2023 World Cup by securing a remarkable 21-run victory through the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method against New Zealand in a high-scoring encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Fakhar Zaman led Pakistan's charge with an extraordinary innings, notching up a sensational 126 runs from just 81 deliveries. His remarkable century made him the fastest Pakistani batter to reach the three-figure mark.
The match saw a nearly hour-long rain delay, which led to a revised DLS target for Pakistan. They were set a challenging task of 342 runs in 41 overs to secure the win, and to boost their net run rate (NRR) for a chance at the semifinals, they needed to achieve the target in 35.2 overs.
During their innings, Pakistan lost only one wicket, that of Abdullah Shafique. Fakhar Zaman remained unbeaten on 126, while skipper Babar Azam contributed an impressive 66 not out, forming a massive partnership of 194 runs for the second wicket.
In the initial stages of the game, Pakistan won the toss and opted to field first. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra provided an excellent start for New Zealand, accumulating 68 runs for the opening wicket, marking the highest opening partnership for the Kiwis in this World Cup. Hasan Ali made a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Conway (35 off 39) and reaching his milestone of 100 ODI wickets.
Kane Williamson came in at number three and played a splendid innings. The Kiwi skipper, along with the young Ravindra, shared a substantial 180-run partnership for the second wicket, putting the Pakistani bowlers under immense pressure. Ravindra reached his third ODI century and a World Cup hundred with a brilliant performance, while Williamson fell just short of a well-deserved century, courtesy of Iftikhar Ahmed.
The fourth consecutive loss in the 2023 World Cup has complicated New Zealand's chances of reaching the semifinals. With four wins to their name, the Kiwis have one more match left, which has become a must-win situation for them.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has won four out of their eight matches and still maintains a mathematical chance of qualifying for the next stage. Under the leadership of Babar Azam, they have climbed to the fifth position in the points table.
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