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'Don't Want Any More Game to Happen...,' Fakhar Zaman Spills Out Truth After NZ Win

Arnav Chopra

image-lok5154dPakistan players walk out after rain interrupts (Source: AP Photo) 

It was indeed one of the most remarkable moments in World Cup 2023 as a team lost the game after scoring 401. It was Pakistan whose luck and some high-class batting took them to an unlikely win against New Zealand in Bengaluru, with Fakhar Zaman proving to be the star of the show by scoring a scintillating century.

Fakhar, who scored a brisk 126* with eight boundaries and eleven sixes, taking just 81 deliveries, was very well complemented by skipper Babar Azam with his classy 66* before rain interrupted and the game had to be decided through Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method which helped Pakistan earn a 21 run victory as they scored 200 runs losing just one wicket in 25.3 overs.

After the game, Zaman explained their strategy of playing the first four overs carefully, which worked in his favour, considering they were looking to play aggressively after that. 

"We were chasing 400 and that was our plan, just to see off the first 4 overs and thankfully it was my day. 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."

Further, the southpaw rated his 193-run knock against South Africa in 2021 higher than this innings but still called it one of his best knocks.

"This is one of the best (knocks in ODI cricket) but I will always rank my 193 in South Africa highly, but I really enjoyed this game and New Zealand are a great side, so definitely one of the best."

Adding to it, the opener revealed that they were praying for the match not to start again after the rain delay as they were ahead on DLS and coming out again would mean that situation could get tricky for them.

"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."

This outstanding run-chase saved them from an early exit, which means that their next game against England on 11th November would hold even more weightage.