Pakistan clashed against New Zealand in a crucial encounter at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The persistent rain in Bengaluru disrupted the tournament significantly. In a remarkable turn of events, Pakistan secured a 21-run victory over New Zealand using the DLS method. This victory has thrown the tournament wide open, as four teams are now fiercely competing for the last two spots in the semi-finals.
In a thrilling encounter, Pakistan secured a 21-run victory over New Zealand on the DLS method as rain disrupted play for the second time. The Men in Green were in pursuit of a formidable 402-run target within 50 overs, with Fakhar Zaman taking the Kiwis head-on.
Fakhar Zaman delivered an electrifying century, reaching the milestone in just 63 balls, unleashing 9 towering sixes and finding the boundary 7 times to maintain his team’s advantage according to the DLS method. At the first interruption due to rain, Pakistan was leading by 10 runs, with the scoreboard reading 161/1 after 21.3 overs.
When the rain subsided, the revised target stood at 342 runs in 41 overs, and Pakistan resumed their aggressive approach, swiftly advancing to 200/1 in 25.3 overs. Fakhar remained unbeaten with a stunning 126 runs off 81 balls, including a remarkable 11 sixes and 8 boundaries. Meanwhile, Babar Azam held his ground with an unbeaten 66 off 63 balls, featuring 6 fours and 2 sixes.
Also Read: Fakhar Zaman Becomes Fastest Pakistani Batter To Hit World Cup Century
Initially, Pakistan had won the toss and opted to field, a decision that would prove costly. Rachin Ravindra notched up his third century of the ICC World Cup 2023, amassing 108 runs from 94 balls. Captain Kane Williamson played a crucial role, scoring 95 runs off 79 balls, propelling New Zealand to a total of 401/7 in their allotted 50 overs.
With both teams accumulating 8 points from eight games, the competition remains finely poised for further excitement.
For Pakistan to qualify for the semi-finals, they must secure a win against England and hope that Sri Lanka can defeat New Zealand in the upcoming match. The excitement on social media is palpable, with discussions ranging from Pakistan’s opener, Fakhar Zaman, who played a stellar innings to revive Pakistan’s hopes after a string of four consecutive losses in the World Cup 2023. New Zealand had set a challenging target of 401 runs, but it was Fakhar Zaman’s explosive century and the persistent rain that ultimately propelled Pakistan to victory.
Here is how fans reacted to Pakistan’s victory:
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