Pakistan’s opening batsman, Fakhar Zaman, harbors no remorse regarding his missed century during a crucial World Cup encounter. He comprehends the significance of augmenting their net run-rate in the wake of a resounding victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Pakistan initiated their campaign with consecutive triumphs but found themselves on the precipice of semi-final aspirations after enduring four successive defeats. Their resurgence at the iconic Eden Gardens manifested in a resounding seven-wicket win over Bangladesh. This conquest was not only pivotal but also instrumental in bolstering their net run-rate, a metric of paramount importance when teams are deadlocked on points.
Fakhar Zaman, the vanguard of Pakistan’s chase, unleashed a fearless 81-run innings, meriting him the coveted player-of-the-match accolade. Yet, he fell short of the coveted century, a deliberate choice, as he elucidated, “The situation we were in at that moment, we were looking to chase it in 28-29 overs. So that’s why I was just going after the bowlers. Otherwise, it was very easy for me to get to the 100 after 50. But our goal was to achieve the target within 29-30 overs.”
As Pakistan currently occupies the fifth position on the table, sharing six points with Afghanistan, the competition remains fierce. Fakhar’s optimism prevails, even in the face of uncertainty, with aspirations of securing a spot in the semi-finals of this illustrious 50-over tournament. He conveyed, “In the World Cup, each win bestows confidence, and we were eagerly anticipating this victory. We are amidst the ‘ifs and buts’ zone, but we shall strive to secure victories in our remaining matches with favorable run rates. Our objective is the semi-finals, and we shall relentlessly pursue it.” Pakistan’s upcoming challenges feature encounters against 2019 runners-up New Zealand and defending champions, England.
