New Zealand vs Pakistan Match Highlights & Results

Right then! Pakistan continue to be alive and kicking. Another team which will be aiming to take inspiration from Pakistan is West Indies, as they take on India in Match number 34 at Old Trafford, Manchester at 10.30 am local (0930 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Pakistan skipper, Sarfaraz Ahmed says that the crowd always support them and thanks them. Adds that fielding is a very important part and they have worked hard on it. Adds that whenever they are pushed in a corner, they perform the best. States that it's a complete team effort and praises his bowlers and then the partnership between Haris Sohail and Babar Azam. Terms the batting of Babar Azam as the best he has ever seen and lauds him for the way he handled the pressure. Mentions that it was a tricky target but he was confident of chasing it if they bat out the 50 overs. On comparison with the 1992 WC, Sarfaraz replies that they are not thinking much about it and taking one game at a time. Hopes to keep doing best.

New Zealand skipper, Kane Williamson, says that in the last 34 games the pitch has offered something for the bowlers and credits Pakistan for outplaying them on a tough surface. Praise the opposition for bowling in the right areas and nipping a number of guys off but also credits Neesham and de Grandhomme to bring the Kiwis back into the game. Admits that his own team had a chance with two early wickets but then Pakistan's middle order fought hard. Agrees that 250 might have been a difficult score on this track. On taking Santner off when Sohail came on to bat, Williamson says that was trying to save him for the end. Agrees that this loss is a blip and wants to forget this quickly and move on to the next match against a different opposition on a different pitch and hopes to perform better than today.

BABAR AZAM IS THE MAN OF THE MATCH. Says that this is indeed his best inning, which was required on a wicket which was slow and the track was turning a lot. Stresses that it was difficult to bat on and hence wanted to bat 50 overs. On being asked who was more of a threat - spinner (Santner) or seamer, Babar says that the initial plan was to see off the fast bowlers but on seeing the ball turn, Azam says that he and Hafeez thought of playing Santner out, trying to get 3-4 runs an over. Thanks the fans for turning out in numbers, even in Birmingham and adds that they always support Pakistan in England.

New Zealand would like to believe that this loss is just an aberration. They will be pleased with the way their batsmen fought after a poor beginning and will take the batting form of Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme as positives. On the bowling front, they weren't necessarily poor but didn't get much off the surface to trouble the Pakistani batsmen. Mitchell Santner was the best bowler for them but he was unlucky not to get any wicket to his name. Had he got a few, this match could have seen a close finish. Please stay tuned for the presentation.

It was a chase well planned by Pakistan. They lost their in-form openers cheaply but that didn't affect them much. Babar Azam took it on himself to play the anchor role and first with Mohammad Hafeez and then with Haris Sohail, threaded match-winning partnerships. He went on to notch up his maiden World Cup century and stayed unbeaten to see his side over the line.

A thumping win for Pakistan and they have stopped New Zealand's winning juggernaut. Also, they have kept their campaign alive and their eye-catching resemblance to the 1992 World Cup edition is getting more and more interesting.

FOUR! PAKISTAN WIN BY 6 WICKETS! Full toss outside off, Sarfaraz gets bat on ball and puts it away through the gap between cover-point and point for the winning runs.

Angles in a length ball on off, Babar flicks but finds the mid-wicket. So we have the last over, folks. Just 1 more needed.

Scores are levelled! Shortish and on middle, Sarfaraz stands back and helps it in front of square leg for a run.

Played to the point region by the batsman. No run.

Sarfaraz Ahmed comes out for the finishing duties.

OUT! What an anti-climax! Haris Sohail is run out. A yorker on off, Babar digs it out near the stumps and looks at his partner who shows interest in a run. Azam stutters a bit but Sohail puts his head down and runs. Guptill, in the meantime, also charges to the ball, dives forward to pick it up and then disturbs the stumps. All in one motion. It's referred upstairs and Haris is found short. End of a fine knock nonetheless and his century stand with Babar completely spoiled New Zealand's chances of any comeback.

Is that a run out? Martin Guptill has literally flown in from point to hit the stumps! Has Sohail made it in time? Replays seem to indicate that Haris is short. Yes, he has to go.

Fractionally short and on middle, Sohail turns it through backward square leg and crosses.

Short in length on off, Babar gets on top of the bounce and pulls it in front of square leg for a run.

Matt Henry to bowl...

Swing and a miss! Shortish ball around leg, Sohail hops back and tries to pull but misses. Pakistan one hit away!

A low full toss outside off, Sohail pumps it over the infield and gets a couple as the sweeper cover fielder cuts it off near the fence.

Wide called for height! Lockie follows the batsman down towards leg with a short ball but it goes well over Haris. He tries his best to hook but misses.

Shortish and on off, Haris tries working across the line but misses.

Hundred for Babar Azam, his 10th in ODIs, first in an ODI World Cup! What a batsman, what a terrific batsman! A real find for Pakistan. Becomes the first Pakistan batsman since 1987 to score a century without opening the innings. He reaches this milestone by slapping a short delivery to deep cover. Completes his single and then takes his helmet out. Raises his bat and acknowledges the crowd. Follows it up with a Sajda.

Get the chants out again...

Fuller and on middle, Sohail goes deep inside the crease and drills it to mid off for a run. Babar on strike...

FOUR! Beautiful timing and placement! Back of a length delivery outside off, Haris crunches it off his back foot and places it through backward point. The third man fielder tries to run across to make the stop but he slipped.

Fuller in length and outside off, Azam connects with his cover drive but finds the fielder. Stays on 99. Babar is feeling the heat here.

Beaten again. On a length around middle, Babar gets across to work it on the leg side but fails to middle. It hits him on the pads and rolls back.

Nerves! Azam is beaten on the drive. Fuller in length and outside off, Babar tries to stroke through the line but gets beaten.

A touch short in length and outside off, Babar mistimes his punch to point.

The crowd is going nuts. Babar Azam is on 99. 'BABAR! BABAR! BABAR!' is the chant.

Short of a length delivery on middle and leg, Haris goes on his toes and glances it down to long leg for a run.

Angles in a length ball on off, Sohail covers the line and defends it back.

FOUR! Moves to 99 with this boundary! Ferguson tries to test the right-hander with a short ball, Babar rides the bounce and plays a hammer-pull to deep mid-wicket. 9 from the over, Pakistan 14 away!

The look away pull shot by Sohail. He receives the short ball targeted at him with closed eyes and still pulls it through square leg for one.

Wide called for height! Ferguson bends his back to go short but it goes way over the batsman.

Digs in a short delivery outside off, Babar leans back and dabs it down to third man for one.

Excellent yorker around leg, Sohail moves back to dig it out on the off side and calls his partner through for a run.

Very full in length outside off, Azam reaches out for it and squeezes it behind backward point for a run.

Slower delivery, on a length outside off, Babar tries to guide it late down to third man but he is too late and hence misses.

Lockie Ferguson is back on.

FOUR! Easily done! A length delivery outside off, Haris knows that mid off is inside the circle and hence chips it over the head of the in-ring fielder for a boundary. 8 from the over, 23 more needed in the last 5 overs.

Back of a length delivery on off, Haris leans back and sways away from the line.

100-run stand comes up! What a vital partnership... Angling down the leg side, Sohail eases it off his pads through backward square leg and scampers back for another brace. Pakistan cruising!

Fifty for Haris Sohail, his 12th in ODIs and back-to-back in this World Cup. He was warming the bench before that and has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Short in length and outside off, Sohail cracks it off his back foot through point. A good diving stop in the deep and the batsmen take two.

Nearly guides it into the keeper's gloves. Width on offer outside off, Sohail tries to run it down to third man but misses.

Beaten! Fractionally short in length just outside off, holding its line, Sohail pushes inside the line and misses.

Shortish and on off, punched back to the bowler. Babar is not happy with himself. 10-0-38-0, Santner has bowled out now.

Tries working it on the leg side but fails to middle his shot properly. Ends up defending it back.

Short ball on middle, Babar pulls it to the right of mid-wicket who dives but only manages to get his hand on the ball. It travels behind and the batsmen take a couple.

Quicker and fuller ball on middle, Babar pushes it with an angled bat to point.

Goes deep inside the crease and plays it against the spin to cover-point for a quick single.

Loopy delivery landing outside off and turning back in, Haris flicks it close to his body but finds square leg.

Mitchell Santner to bowl out...

Play and a miss! Boult sprays it wide outside off, Babar throws his bat at it but fails to connect. A good diving take by Latham.

Defended off the back foot by the batsman.

Shortish and on middle, defended back to the bowler.

Superb fielding by Munro! A length ball outside off, Babar crashes it through covers and it speeds away towards the fence. Munro in the deep makes a fine diving stop to save two runs for his side.

Very full in length on middle, Sohail works it off his pads behind square leg and crosses for a run.

Good length ball on off, Sohail defends it back from the crease.

Sharp spin back into the left-hander, Haris tucks it through mid-wicket for a run. 12 from the over, 37 needed more off 48 balls.

Santner fires in a shorter one outside off, Azam goes back and slaps it to deep cover for one. 200 comes up for Pakistan!

Spinning back into the batsman from outside off, Haris goes back and steers it through point for a run.

Played to the point region by the batsman. One run added to the total.

FOUR! Babar wants to finish it in a hurry! Once again he kneels to a full ball and sweeps it against the spin. Gets it away from the middle of his blade and the ball screams away to the fence at mid-wicket.

FOUR! Fine shot! Santner delivers a full ball around off, Babar goes down on one knee and plays a well-timed slog sweep. Finds the gap and also finds the fence at mid-wicket.

FOUR! Deft! Boult offers width outside off, Sohail spots that and deliberately delays his shot. He opens the face at the last moment and runs it fine down to third man for a boundary. Smooth sailing for Pakistan, under 50 required now.

Slower one, on a length outside off, Sohail pushes at it with an angled bat but finds point.

The batsman plays the pull-shot. One run added to the total.

Cracking shot but not in the gap! Angling away from the batsman, Babar drives it firmly but finds the cover fielder.

Shortish and on off, angling away a bit, Babar stays back to defend and gets it away off the inside edge. It thuds him on the pads before deflecting to the off side.

Back of a length delivery on off, Sohail punches it off his back foot through backward point for a run.

Powerplay 3 begins. 55 needed off 60 balls now. New Zealand now have the option of having a maximum of 5 fielders outside the ring. Trent Boult is back on as well...

Quicker and shorter on off, Azam punches it from the crease and this time Guptill makes no mistake at covers.

Floated one, landing full on middle, Babar drives it through the line. Guptill misfields at covers and it goes right through his legs to the deep. Two taken.

Allows the ball to spin back in and then punches it through cover-point for a run.

Vicious spin! Turning down the leg side after landing outside off, Sohail tries to flick but misses. Not given a wide.

Works it with the spin to the leg side but finds mid-wicket.

Tossed up ball outside off, knocked down through mid off for a run.

Mitchell Santner is back on. He has been very tidy, has beaten the edge of the bat quite a few times but has nothing to show in the wicket's column.

FOUR! A good over till now gets spoiled. A flighted delivery on off, too full in length, Haris leans into the drive and thumps it through the gap at covers for a boundary. 34 in the last 4 overs!

Full and floated on middle, Haris defends it back off his front foot.

Fullish and on off, it's tickled through square leg and Babar runs the first run hard. Wants the second but it's not on.

Flatter and shorter on middle, Haris gets back and helps it through mid-wicket for a single.

A half-tracker on middle, Babar jumps on the back foot and pulls it to deep backward square leg for a run.

Loopy and full on middle, swept across the line but straight to short fine leg.

A bouncer at 137 kph, Sohail sways away from the line.

Good length ball on off, angling in, Haris gets behind the line and blocks.

SIX! Straight over the bowler's head, no respect whatsoever. Boult lands it on a fuller length outside off, Sohail stays leg side of this delivery and hammers it over Boult for a biggie.

A back foot punch by Haris but he finds the cover fielder inside the ring.

Back of a length delivery on middle, angling in, Azam eases it behind square leg and crosses.

Slower delivery to begin with, on a length and angling into the batsman, Sohail works it on the leg side for a run.

Trent Boult is back on. Make or break time for New Zealand, this. He was exceptional in his first spell but now needs to pick wickets to bring his team back into the match.

Slower through the air, full and on off, Babar pushes it with gentle hands towards point and eyes a run. But the keeper quickly runs to it and Azam aborts. 10 from the over, 19 in the last two. This mostly will be Williamson's last over.

Flatter and shorter on off, it's punched down off the back foot to long off for a run.

The batsman has flicked the ball off his pads. One run added to the total.

FOUR! Consecutive boundaries. Brilliant batting from Babar. Last shot prompted the bowler to go short. Azam picks it early, again uses his feet, this time to go deep inside the crease and then pulls it handsomely behind square leg. 50-run stand comes up as well and Pakistan are motoring in this run chase.

FOUR! Wonderful shot by Babar. He takes the calculative risk of coming down the track and then lofts the fuller length ball over mid off. No one in the deep and it's a boundary.

An off spinner on the shorter side, Babar pulls but finds Guptill at short mid-wicket.

Loopy and full outside off, Babar crunches his drive through covers and ends the over with a single. 9 from this one, a good one for Pakistan.

Fullish and on off, angling in, Azam is on the front foot as he drives it back to the bowler.