Fakhar Zaman’s incredible performance earned him praise from Zaka Ashraf, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee.
Zaka Ashraf, in a telephone call to Fakhar Zaman, hailed his outstanding unbeaten 126 runs, and as a token of appreciation, announced a Rs1 million reward for the star batsman.
Zaka Ashraf extended his best wishes to Fakhar Zaman and the entire Pakistani squad for their upcoming matches and expressed confidence in witnessing more stellar performances in the future.
In a match affected by rain and decided by the DLS method, Pakistan emerged victorious against New Zealand, significantly boosting their chances of reaching the semi-finals.
New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra delivered a remarkable century, propelling his team to an imposing total of 401/6 in their initial innings.
However, Pakistan staged a sensational comeback, led by Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam, who formed a scintillating partnership, propelling Pakistan to 200/1 in just 25.3 overs. Their aggressive batting kept them comfortably ahead of the required run rate when rain abruptly halted the match.
Fakhar Zaman was the standout performer, smashing an impressive nine sixes on his way to a century in a mere 63 balls during the first 20 overs.
Despite the rain delay in the 22nd over, Pakistan was significantly ahead according to the DLS method. Following a prolonged rain interruption and wet outfield conditions, the match was shortened to 41 overs, with Pakistan’s target adjusted to 342. The second-wicket pair continued their formidable partnership, steadily advancing towards the revised target.
When the rain returned and became too heavy to continue, Pakistan was ahead by 21 runs according to the DLS method. This victory propelled Babar Azam’s side to eight points, leveling them with New Zealand and reigniting their chances of advancing to the semi-finals.
