ICC World Cup 2019: Match 33, New Zealand vs Pakistan – Babar’s record ton, New Zealand’s comeback and more stats

Pakistan is continuing their turnaround in World Cup 2019 as they recorded their second straight win by defeating New Zealand who registered their first defeat of the tournament. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s opening spell reduced the Blackcaps to 83/5. Jimmy Neesham struck an unbeaten 97 and shared a 132-run partnership for the 6th wicket with Colin de Grandhomme (64) to push their total to 237/6. Babar Azam anchored the chase with an unbeaten century with a 124-run stand with Haris Sohail (68) as Pakistan won with five balls to spare.

All the statistical highlights from Pakistan’s 6-wicket win against New Zealand:

Pakistan continues their Kiwi bashing:

7 – Pakistan now has won seven matches in the World Cup against New Zealand; the joint-most they won in CWC against any team. Pakistan won all the seven matches they played against Sri Lanka in the World Cups thus far. Pakistan played nine World Cup matches against the Kiwis losing in two of them.

Babar only next to Amla:

68 – Innings Babar Azam needed to complete 3000 runs in ODI cricket; the 2nd fastest player to the milestone. Hashim Amla scored his 3000th ODI run in the 57th innings he batted. Babar is also the fastest among Asian batsmen surpassing Shikhar Dhawan who reached in 72 innings.

Stats: Babar Azam becomes the second fastest batsman to 3000 ODI runs

68 – Babar is the 3rd fastest to score 10 centuries in ODI cricket. He needed 68 innings for his 10th century and stands only behind Quinton de Kock (55) and Hashim Amla (57).

A record ton from Babar:

1 – Babar Azam became the first non-opening batsman to score a World Cup century for Pakistan while chasing. His century is the 5th for Pakistan in a CWC chase but the previous four were scored by openers. Zaheer Abbas’ 93 against the Windies in 1979 was the previous highest CWC score in a chase by Pakistani while not opening the innings.

101* – Babar’s unbeaten 101 is the highest individual score for Pakistan in the World Cup by a No.3 batsman. He went past Saleem Malik’s 100 against Sri Lanka during 1987 edition game in Faisalabad.

Babar is also the first non-opening batsman for Pakistan to score a World Cup century since 1987. Four players scored CWC tons for Pakistan while batting at No.3 and lower position all during 1983 and 1987 editions.

The record rescue act:

132 – Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme’s 132-run stand for the 6th wicket is the first century partnership for New Zealand in the World Cup for the 6th or lower wicket. The 91-run stand between Grandhomme and Kane Williamson last week against South Africa was the previous highest for the Kiwis.

97* – Neesham’s unbeaten 97 is the joint highest individual score by a New Zealand No.6 or lower batsman in World Cup. Martin Crowe also scored 97 while batting at No.6 against England in 1983.