BENGALURU, India (AP) — New Zealand began the tournament with four consecutive wins against England, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands, but has now lost to India, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan in a shocking turnaround of form.
The Black Caps need to beat Sri Lanka in its last league game and hope Pakistan loses to England, or cannot come close to its net run-rate.
Zaman’s power-hitting kept his side in the hunt in a steep run chase before rain took the players off the field with Pakistan cruising on 160-1 in 21.3 overs, ahead by 10 runs on DLS.
Captain Babar Azam (66 not out) played second fiddle to Zaman, who smashed 11 sixes against pace and spin as the pair stretched their match-winning stand to 194 before the rain returned.
Zaman was ruthless against leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, playing his first game of the tournament. He and Babar plundered three sixes in Sodhi’s penultimate over, which ultimately proved vital.
“We just planned to build a partnership. I wanted to give the strike to Fakhar,” said Babar after scoring his third half-century in eight World Cup games. “We knew we had short boundaries and we tried to utilize it.”