Vaibhav Tripathi
Pakistan’s opener, Fakhar Zaman, revealed his strategy in chasing a challenging target of 402, stating that he aimed to navigate through the first four overs before launching an aggressive attack against New Zealand’s bowlers. He also acknowledged that with every game being a do-or-die situation for Pakistan, he has adopted an aggressive mindset.
In a rain-affected match, Pakistan secured a 21-run victory over New Zealand through the DLS method, keeping their semifinal aspirations alive. Fakhar was named the player of the match for his brilliant innings of 126 runs off 81 balls.
“We were chasing 400 and that was our plan, just to see off the first 4 overs and thankfully it was my day,” said Fakhar. “To be honest, I was lucky a few times but really enjoyed this innings. We know every game is a do or die for us and we have decided to play aggressively and we are playing with that mind so everybody is just trying to score runs.
“We were also praying that we don’t want any more game to happen (while waiting anxiously in the dressing room during the rain break) because it was already 9 and half hours and we knew that DLS would come into the equation. We wanted to play with that aggressive mindset and we will play aggressively in the next game also,” he added.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam reflected on his team’s memorable win: “When we came to the dressing room, just passed a message that we need good partnerships. Said to Fakhar if he plays 15 overs we’ll be ahead. Back of the mind we knew rain was coming. Full credit to Fakhar. We knew there was a short boundary and utilised it,”
This win means that Pakistan still remains in contention to qualify for the semi-finals. On Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals, Babar noted: “We’re just trying to give 100 percent. You never know. We’re just going match by match.”
Unfortunately, persistent and heavy rain interrupted the game, and the umpires made the decision to call off the match. New Zealand, despite posting a score of 400 plus, suffered their fourth consecutive loss, a result they likely did not anticipate.
New Zealand’s captain, Kane Williamson, acknowledged the impact of the weather on the game but also credited Fakhar and the Pakistan team for their positive batting approach, particularly in targeting the shorter boundaries.
“Obviously a nice first half. Weather played its part but can’t take away from Pakistan. Zaman – the ground wasn’t big enough for him. They played exceptionally well and gave themselves every chance. Match getting shortened brings both teams closer together. Would’ve been nice to have the full 50. Was tricky to protect the shorter side. Full credit, they deserved the result today.”