Fakhar Zaman’s heroics lead Pakistan to defeat New Zealand by 21 runs on DLS

Fakhar Zaman’s heroics led Pakistan to defeat New Zealand by 21 runs on the DLS method.

The 33-year-old left-hander smashed 11 sixes and eight boundaries in his unbeaten 81-ball 126 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Rain was the third team in the game, as it forced a premature end to the match with Pakistan 200-1 after 25.3 overs, chasing a revised Duckworth-Lewis-Stern target of 342 in 41 overs.

Pakistan was 160-1 in the 21st over when rain interrupted the match.

The impressive show with the bat by Babar Azam and Fakhar played a key role in keeping Pakistan’s hopes alive for playing in the World Cup semi-final as the rain-hit match was called off.

Fakhar Zaman moved to 126 and Azam was on 66 with 200-1 on the scoreboard in 25.3 overs when the rain interrupted the match again.

When the match was abandoned, the Pakistan team was 21 runs ahead of the score according to the DLS method.

Pakistan earlier 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.

While putting to bat first, New Zealand set a massive target of 402 runs for Pakistan.

Ravindra and Devon Conway scored 66 in the first power-play.

Conway was dismissed by Hasan Ali after scoring a 35-ball 39 with six boundaries.

It was Ravindra and Williamson who provided the solid platform for New Zealand’s massive score.

Ravindra continued his superb form scoring a 94-ball 108 that included 15 boundaries and a six and was equally brilliantly matched stroke for stroke by Williamson’s 79-ball knock was spiced with two sixes and ten boundaries.

This was Ravindra’s third century of the tournament — in addition to two half-centuries — and he was in total control until he holed out at deep mid-wicket off Mohammad Wasim in the 36th over.

Williamson was dismissed when NZ had a score of 248.

Daryl Mitchell (29) and Mark Chapman (39) added a quickfire 57 for the fourth wicket as none of the Pakistani bowlers could stem the flow of runs.

Glenn Phillips hit a 25-ball 41 with four boundaries and two sixes while Santner was not left behind, smashing two sixes in his 17-ball 26 not out.

Wasim emerged as the best Pakistan bowler with 3-60 figures.

While Shaheen Shah Afridi conceded 90 runs wicket-less and Haris Rauf 85-1 respectively in their ten overs — the worst-ever figures by Pakistan bowlers in all World Cups so far.