Rachin echoes Sachin but Fakhar steals the limelight

Mohammed Rumman Khan | NT

Bengaluru: In a dramatic turn of events, Pakistan found themselves on the receiving end of a strong performance from New Zealand's top-order batsmen before launching a remarkable counterattack led by Fakhar Zaman, ultimately clinching a rain-affected World Cup victory by 21 runs through the DLS method.

This win kept their hopes alive for a spot in the semi-finals. Facing a daunting target of 402 runs, Pakistan opted for an aggressive approach against New Zealand.

Fakhar Zaman was the standout performer, smashing a breathtaking century in just 63 balls, while Babar Azam was steadily inching toward his fifty.

However, rain intervened when Pakistan's score stood at 160 for one in 21.3 overs. Subsequently, the revised target was set at 342 runs in 41 overs, and Fakhar continued his impressive display, finishing unbeaten with 126 runs, which included eight fours and an astonishing 11 sixes.

Babar contributed an unbeaten 66, but rain returned, limiting Pakistan to an additional 40 runs in the final four overs. Curiously, winning the toss has not been a surefire advantage in this tournament, as many captains have struggled with their decisions, often choosing to bowl first.

Only nine out of 33 matches have been won by the team that won the toss, with a success rate of just 27 percent, the lowest in any World Cup. Initially, Pakistan's decision to bowl first appeared questionable but is now viewed more favorably in hindsight.

Sachin Tendulkar has been the leading run-scorer against Pakistan in World Cups, accumulating a total of 313 runs, which includes an impressive 98-run innings in 2003 and a crucial 85 in the 2011 semi-final.

It seemed like his era had ended, but Rachin Ravindra, born in Wellington to Indian parents from Bengaluru, is reviving memories of those past performances.

Rachin Ravindra's name, which combines elements of Sachin and Rahul, has now become synonymous with his own unique identity. The 23-year-old Ravindra found himself at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, arms outstretched, face lifted towards the sky, as an exuberant crowd chanted his name – 'Raachin, Raachin.'

In the 48-year history of the World Cup, no one under the age of 30 has ever achieved the remarkable feat of scoring three centuries in a single tournament, making Rachin Ravindra's achievement at the age of 23 and three-quarters truly exceptional.

Pakistan’s bowling performance was poor, imperfect, with Shaheen Afridi (10-0-90-0) and most expensive by a Pakistan bowler in World Cups, and Haris Rauf (10-0-85-1) bowling the two most expensive spells in Pakistan’s World Cup history. Hasan Ali went for 82 as well.

Remarkably, New Zealand achieved their highest-ever World Cup score against Pakistan, even in the subcontinent, surpassing their previous matches against teams like Zimbabwe, Ireland, Bangladesh, and England.

In terms of tournament standings, Pakistan secured eight points and had one more match to play against England. New Zealand, with a net run rate of +0.855, also had eight points and were set to face Sri Lanka in their final league game.

Despite these calculations, Pakistan remained in the sixth position on the table, trailing Afghanistan due to net run rate considerations.

Brief scores: New Zealand 401/6 (Rachin Ravindra 108, Kane Williamson 95; Mohammad Wasim Jr 3-60) lost to Pakistan 200/1 in 25.3 overs (Fakhar Zaman 126*, Babar Azam 66*) by 21 runs (DLS)