Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 21 (DLS method) runs in the 35th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India, on Saturday and are still alive in the race to the semi-final of the mega event.
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.
Courtesy of a blistering batting display by Fakhar, Pakistan were 21 runs ahead on the DLS score after 25.3 overs and emerged victorious.
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.
The 33-year-old hit 11 sixes in the process, becoming the only fourth batter to score ten or more sixes in the history of the 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.
Williamson, back in the team after breaking his thumb earlier in the tournament, fell for 95 after sharing a 180-run second-wicket partnership with Ravindra.
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.
New Zealand will now play an all-important match against Sri Lanka on November 9 at the same venue as today and if the Black Caps emerge victorious there, things could get pretty difficult for the Azam-led unit.