Fakhar Zaman's remarkable century in the ODI World Cup against New Zealand is indeed a significant achievement for the Pakistan batter. His 63-ball century is not only the fastest by a Pakistan batter in World Cup history but also ranks joint-ninth on the list of the fastest World Cup centuries.
This century helped Pakistan secure an important victory in their must-win match against New Zealand, as they were chasing a formidable target of 402 runs.
The previous record for the fastest century by a Pakistani batter in World Cup history was held by Imran Nazir, who achieved a century in 95 balls during the 2007 Kingston World Cup.
Fakhar Zaman's aggressive batting allowed him to surpass this record and set a new milestone. He also broke Imran Nazir's record for the most sixes in a World Cup innings by a Pakistani player, hitting more than eight sixes in his innings.
It's worth noting that Glenn Maxwell holds the record for the fastest century in World Cup history, having scored one in just 40 balls against the Netherlands in a previous game in the ongoing tournament. Fakhar Zaman's century, though not the fastest overall, is still an incredible achievement in the context of the World Cup 2023.
New Zealand set a challenging target of 401 for six wickets in their crucial World Cup match against Pakistan on Saturday. The impressive century by Rachin Ravindra showcased his emerging talent, while Kane Williamson's determined comeback fell just short of a hundred, highlighting New Zealand's dominant performance on the day.
Opting to bat first at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, New Zealand capitalised on the favourable batting conditions, causing difficulties for the Pakistani bowlers. Ravindra's outstanding 108 off 94 deliveries, combined with Williamson's composed 95 off 79, created a sense of chaos among the Pakistani players.
But then, following the early departure of Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar skillfully forged a blazing 194-run alliance with captain Babar Azam for the second wicket, ensuring Pakistan retained control of the match, despite the interruptions caused by the rain in Bengaluru. Zaman continued to deliver an impressive performance, remaining unbeaten on 126 off only 81 balls, while Babar effectively held his ground, contributing 66 runs off 63 deliveries.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
Fakhar Zaman's scorching ton propels Pakistan to 21-run win over Kiwis in rain-curtailed match to rekindle semis hopes
Big Breaking: India announce new vice-captain for World Cup after Hardik Pandya's injury and it's not Virat Kohli
