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Pakistan's opening batter Fakhar Zaman recently disclosed that his team was secretly hoping for no resumption after the second rain break during their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup clash with New Zealand. Pakistan managed to defeat New Zealand by 21 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis Stern method (DLS) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
After the match, Zaman expressed that it was his day, emphasizing his match-winning knock against New Zealand. Zaman's unbeaten 126 off 81 balls, including eight boundaries and 11 sixes, played a significant role in Pakistan's victory.
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"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," Zaman remarked.
He further revealed that during the rain break, Pakistan was silently praying for the game not to resume. Their wish was granted as rain continued to disrupt play, ultimately leading to Pakistan's victory under the DLS method.
"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," Zaman added.
Zaman emphasized that the team intends to maintain their aggressive mindset throughout the tournament, as they still have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals. With the victory over New Zealand, Pakistan has climbed to fifth place in the points table.
"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. We wanted to play with that aggressive mindset and we will play aggressively in the next game also," Zaman affirmed.
Following their triumph over New Zealand, Pakistan will now shift their focus to the upcoming match against England, scheduled to take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 10.
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