In a thrilling and rain-affected match, Pakistan emerged victorious, securing a vital 21-run win over New Zealand, which keeps their hopes alive in the Cricket World Cup. This crucial victory brings Pakistan's point tally to eight from as many games, with their final match against England scheduled for November 11 in Kolkata.

The star of the day for Pakistan was opener Fakhar Zaman, who made history by smashing the fastest century ever for his country in World Cup history. However, rain played a significant role in this contest, interrupting Pakistan's chase with the team comfortably positioned at 160 for one in their pursuit of a 402-run target when the weather intervened. Following the rain delay and in accordance with the Duckworth Lewis (DLS) method, Pakistan's revised target was set at 342 runs off 41 overs.

Earlier in the match, Pakistan's decision to bowl first backfired as New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra (108 off 94) and skipper Kane Williamson (95 off 79) shared an impressive 180-run partnership for the second wicket. This partnership laid the foundation for New Zealand's total. Additional contributions from Glenn Phillips (41 off 25), Mark Chapman (39 off 27), and Daryl Mitchell (29 off 18) provided vital runs towards the end of New Zealand's innings.

The Pakistani bowling attack was led by Mohammad Wasim, who picked up three wickets for 60 runs. Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, and Haris Rauf each chipped in with a wicket.

With the match outcome in their favor, Pakistan now faces a critical task of chasing the target within 35.2 overs to surpass New Zealand's net run rate (NRR) and maintain their chances of advancing to the tournament's semi-finals. New Zealand, who started the ICC World Cup 2023 with a commanding victory over defending champions England, has faced a series of defeats in their recent matches, including a significant loss to South Africa.

Picture Credits - Hindustan Times