Pakistan beat NZ to keep semi-final hopes alive

An astonishing batting display kept Pakistan's World Cup semi-final hopes alive in a rain-affected encounter against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

Pakistan were given a revised target of 342 in 41 overs but only four more overs were possible.

Fakhar finished with 126 and captain Babar Azam 66 in a crucial 21-run win.

The Black Caps piled up 401-6 after Rachin Ravindra's masterful 108, but struggled with a depleted bowling line-up after injuries to seamers Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson.

Pakistan's batters capitalised on a good batting pitch, with Fakhar smashing 11 sixes in his knock while Babar played a supportive role.

Despite their bowling woes, New Zealand's batting was strengthened by the return of captain Kane Williamson, who made a majestic 95 in a second-wicket stand of 180 with opener Ravindra.

Cameos from Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips propelled New Zealand past 400 as Pakistan's bowlers also struggled.

Haris Rauf's figures of 1-82 were the most expensive by a Pakistan bowler in World Cup history, only for Shaheen Afridi to break the record minutes later with 0-90.

The result keeps the group stage open, though New Zealand remain favourites for a semi-final spot because of their superior net-run rate to Afghanistan and Pakistan, with all three teams on eight points.

Pakistan's next game comes against England on 11 November, who could still be in contention for a semi-final spot if they beat Australia in Saturday's later fixture.

Fakhar's heroics keep Pakistan dreaming

Chasing such an imposing total required something very special from Pakistan, and 33-year-old Fakhar was fearless in the face of such a challenge.

His performance was all the more incredible given the nature of his World Cup campaign so far: he played in Pakistan's opening game of the World Cup against the Netherlands, was dropped for the next five, then returned with a swashbuckling 81 against Bangladesh in their most recent outing.

It was a brutal innings but a smart one, too.

There was pressure on New Zealand's strike bowler Trent Boult, given their limited resources, and Fakhar wisely targeted him to take 42 runs from his opening four overs.

The experienced Tim Southee took the early wicket of Abdullah Shafique in the second over, but was also largely unthreatening, only playing his second game of the tournament after a thumb injury.

Unable to contain Fakhar's ferocious scoring all around the ground, Williamson turned to his spinners early but with little assistance from the pitch, they were just as ineffective and played into the hands of two fine players of spin.

Seamer Henry has been officially ruled out by a hamstring injury and replaced by Kyle Jamieson, which gives New Zealand another pace option, and they will be hoping that Ferguson can recover quickly from his wrist injury in time for a key encounter against Sri Lanka on 9 November.