Pakistan's star opener Fakhar Zaman scripted history when he smashed a record-breaking century against Sri Lanka in the ongoing World Cup 2023 match on Saturday, November 4. Fakahar pulled off a quickfire unbeaten hundred to put Pakistan in the driving seat while chasing a huge 402-run target at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Fakhar took only 63 balls to reach 100 runs and added an unbeaten 154 runs for the second wicket with captain Babar Azam. Fakhar registered the fastest-ever ODI World Cup hundred for Pakistan to enter the record books. He scored 106* runs off just 69 balls with the help of seven fours and nine sixes when rain interrupted the game during the 22nd over.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's team was chasing a record 402-run target but remained ahead with 160 runs in 21.3 overs with nine wickets in hand. After the rain interruption, the official announced a new revised DLS target for Pakistan. They need 342 runs in 41 overs to win the game, making it 182 runs in just 19.3 overs on the DLS method.
Meanwhile, Fakhar broke former star Imran Nazir's record of 95-ball hundred scored in the 2007 edition of the tournament to score the fastest hundred for Pakistan. The 33-year-old opener registered the joint ninth-fastest hundred in ODI World Cup history. He joined Rohit Sharma's 63-ball hundred which came during India's game against Afghanistan in the same edition. Glenn Maxwell holds the record for the fastest World Cup century when he smashed a 40-ball hundred against Netherlands in Delhi on October 25.
New Zealand Playing XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
Pakistan Playing XI: Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Haris Rauf
