Bengaluru, November 4, 2023: Pakistan kept their hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup 2023 alive with a thrilling 21-run victory over New Zealand in a rain-affected match in Bengaluru on Saturday.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat, posting a mammoth 401/6 in 50 overs. Rachin Ravindra, batting at number three, smashed a record-breaking 201 on debut, while Kane Williamson (105) and Glenn Phillips (75) also scored centuries.
Pakistan made a strong start to their chase, with openers Fakhar Zaman (113) and Abdullah Shafique (103) putting on a 200-run partnership.
Rain then interrupted play for over an hour, and when the match resumed, Pakistan were set a revised target of 342 in 41 overs. Babar Azam (126*) and Mohammad Rizwan (87*) then guided Pakistan to a memorable victory, with the latter hitting the winning boundary off the last ball of the match.
Highlights:
- Rachin Ravindra's record-breaking 201 on debut
- Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique's 200-run partnership
- Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's match-winning partnership
Result: Pakistan won by 21 runs (DLS)
Impact: Pakistan kept their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive, while New Zealand suffered a setback.
Player of the Match: Babar Azam
