Fakhar Zaman and captain Babar Azam starred as Pakistan pulled off a dramatic, rain-hit 21-run victory over New Zealand to stay alive at the ICC World Cup on Saturday.

After New Zealand had piled up a mammoth 401-6, Pakistan were 160-1 in the 21st over when rain brought a stoppage. The match was being played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in India’s Bengaluru.

Set 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 as they were ahead of the required rate.

Pakistan and New Zealand both have eight points and remain in contention for semi-final spots with a match each left to play in the group stage.

Earlier, medium-pace bowler Hasan Ali completed 100 one-day international wickets during the World Cup clash.

The 29-year-old dismissed New Zealand opener Devon Conway for 35 in the 11th over of the innings to reach the milestone in his 66th match.

Ali is the 22nd bowler from Pakistan to take 100 or more ODI wickets, with legendary left-armer Wasim Akram leading the way with 502 in 356 matches.

Shaheen Shah Afridi also reached the 100-wicket mark in Pakistan’s last match against Bangladesh in Kolkata.

Azam had won the toss against New Zealand and chosen to field first.

South Africa’s 190-run thrashing of New Zealand on Wednesday has brought Pakistan right back in the mix for the race to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee and Trent Boult.

Source: Dawn 

BDST: 2039 HRS, NOV 04, 2023
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