Pakistan stay alive at World Cup with rain-hit triumph
Swashbuckling opener Fakhar Zaman cracked a blistering century to save Pakistan from World Cup elimination in a rain-affected and dramatic 21-run victory over New Zealand at Bengaluru on Saturday. The 33-year-old left-hander smashed 11 sixes and eight boundaries in his unbeaten 81-ball 126 as rain forced a premature end to the match with Pakistan 200-1 after 25.3 overs, chasing a revised DLS target of 342 in 41 overs. Rachin Ravindra hit his third century of the tournament while Kane Williamson scored 95 to help New Zealand pile up 401-6 in their 50 overs. Set a mammoth 402-run target initially, Zaman lifted Pakistan to 160-1 after 21.3 overs before a 90-minute stoppage due to rain led to a revised target for Pakistan. After the resumption, Zaman kept up the tempo, hitting three sixes off spinner Ish Sodhi's 25th over as Pakistan went past the 200-mark. Pakistan had 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. However, Abdullah Shafique fell for four in the second over. Zaman and skipper Babar Azam (66) added 194 for the unbroken second wicket stand. Zaman took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers, smashing four sixes and as many boundaries in his 39-ball fifty. He completed his 11th ODI hundred, and first in a World Cup, with a six and a single off Mitchell Santner. His century came off 63 balls with nine sixes and six boundaries. Pakistan now have eight points from as many games with their last match against England in Kolkata on November 11. They not only need to win that but also hope New Zealand lose to Sri Lanka on November 9 in Bengaluru at this same venue or the match is hit by rain. In the day's other match leg-spinner Adam Zampa took three wickets as Australia beat England by 33 runs to knock the defending champions out. Chasing 287 for victory in Ahmedabad, England folded for 253 in 48.1 overs after a valiant 64 from Ben Stokes to slump to their sixth defeat in seven matches and stay bottom of the 10-team table. Five-time champions Australia edged closer to securing a semi-final berth alongside India and South Africa – both already qualified for the final four – with their fifth straight win. (AFP)