BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom — Pakistan kept alive their chances of reaching the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday, cruising to a six-wicket win against previously unbeaten New Zealand at Edgbaston.
New Zealand scored 237 for six in their 50 overs but that total proved inadequate as Babar Azam scored an impressive unbeaten 101 and Haris Sohail (68) offered valuable support. Pakistan reached their target off the first ball of their final over, finishing on 241-4.
"The wicket was difficult but my aim was to bat for 50 overs and if I did I knew Pakistan would win the match," said man-of-the-match Babar.
"We know we'd need to score runs off the pace bowlers. Once (Mitchell) Santner came on it was doing stuff off the pitch so (Mohammad) Hafeez told me to stick at it and score three or four runs an over."
Sarfaraz Ahmed's side, who beat South Africa on Sunday to revive their flagging World Cup campaign, now have seven points, level with fifth-placed Bangladesh and just one point behind hosts England.
During the course of his innings, Babar became the second-fastest to reach 3,000 One-Day International runs in front of thousands of fanatical Pakistan fans.
Babar, 24, took 11 innings more than South Africa's Hashim Amla, who reached the milestone in 57 innings, but overtook West Indies great Viv Richards (69 innings). He reached his hundred off 124 balls with 11 fours.
Babar and Mohammad Hafeez (32) added 66 for the third wicket after Pakistan lost openers Fakhar Zaman (nine) and Imam-ul-Haq (19). Hafeez was caught by Lockie Ferguson in the deep off the bowling of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson for 32 to leave Pakistan 110-3.
Earlier, New Zealand reached 237-6 in their 50 overs, with Jimmy Neesham hitting a career-best 97 not out while Colin de Grandhomme made 64. Left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-28) starred as Pakistan reduced New Zealand to 83-5.
New Zealand were wobbling badly when the in-form Williamson was dismissed by leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who enticed the skipper into giving an edge to wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed when he was on 41.
New Zealand are second in the table on 11 points behind Australia, the only team who have qualified so far. The top four teams qualify for the semifinals.
Scoreboard
New Zealand
M. Guptill b Amir 5
C. Munro c Sohail b Shaheen 12
K. Williamson c Sarfaraz b Shadab 41
R. Taylor c Sarfaraz b Shaheen 3
T. Latham c Sarfaraz b Shaheen 1
J. Neesham not out 97
C. de Grandhomme run out 64
M. Santner not out 5
Extras: (b2, lb3, w4) 9
Total: (six wkts, 50 overs) 237
Did not bat: M. Henry, L. Ferguson, T. Boult
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Guptill), 2-24 (Munro), 3-38 (Taylor), 4-46 (Latham), 5-83 (Williamson), 6-215 (De Grandhomme)
Bowling: Hafeez 7-0-22-0; Amir 10-0-67-1 (2w), Shaheen 10-3-28-3, Imad 3-0-17-0, Shadab 10-0-43-1, Wahab 10-0-55-0 (2w).
Pakistan
Imam ul-Haq c Guptill b Ferguson 19
Fakhar Zaman c Guptill b Boult 9
Babar Azam not out 101
M. Hafeez c Ferguson b Williamson 32
H. Sohail run out (Guptill) 68
S. Ahmed not out 5
Extras (0b 0lb 0nb 7w) 7
Total ( for 4 wkts,49.1 overs) 241
Fall of Wickets: 1-19 (Zaman), 2-44 (ul-Haq), 3-110 (Hafeez), 4-236 (Sohail)
Did Not Bat : Wasim, Khan, Riaz, Amir, Afridi
Bowling: Boult 10-0-48-1; Henry 7-0-25-0; Ferguson 8.1-0-50-1; Grandhomme 2-0-12-0; Santner 10-0-38-0; Neesham 3-0-20-0; Williamson 8 0 39 1; Munro 1-0-9-0.
