RESULT
33rd match, Birmingham, June 26, 2019, ICC Cricket World Cup
(49.1/50 ov, T:238) 241/4

Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
101* (127)
babar-azam
New
PAK
Full commentary

7:45pm And that is all! Thanks for joining us through the day. Good night.

Sarfraz: The crowd is always behind the Pakistan team. Thank you very much. Fielding is a very important part. Unfortunately we didn't do well in the previous matches. We practiced hard. The way we played today, it was a great team effort. All the bowlers did really well and in the end Babar and Haris - one of the finest batting I've ever seen. We knew 240 was not an easy target on this pitch. We just wanted to bat 50 overs. Credit to Babar and Haris, the way they played on this pitch. [On 1992] when the World Cup starts, people think that way. But we're not thinking like that. Our focus is the next match. We are very confident and hopefully we'll do well.

Williamson: We've seen it in our last three games, where the surfaces have offered to the bowlers and made life difficult. We were outplayed by a strong Pakistan side. I think there was a little bit more bounce than we experienced on the same surface we played the other day. The fight that was shown in the middle and back end was good, to get us in a position where we were competitive. But that partnership with Babar and Haris, they took it from us. [Shadab] yeah it was nice wasn't it? We tried to soak it up. Thought if we get 230-250, there was a chance. And there was, but they soaked up the pressure and played really nicely. When the threat is spin, especially when the wicket became a lot slower, we were trying to get anybody in there who would rotate the ball. There's so many games in the round robin that you're not expecting to win them all. There's things we need to iron out. We'll have to adapt a little better than we did today.

Babar: This is my best innings. the wicket was difficult and turned a lot in the second half. The plan was to go through to the end and give my 100%. When we started, the plan was to see out Ferguson. But when Santner came on, the plan became not to give wickets to him and cover up later when the fast bowlers come on. The fans support us here in Birmingham, it's great.

Babar Azam is the Man of the Match.

7:30pm Edgbaston explodes and the Pakistan players rush onto the field. They've copped an absolute truckload of criticism and been written off, but a comprehensive win over South Africa and a clinical one over NZ today have seen them storm back into contention!

Don't write them off just yet. They are one point behind England and level with Bangladesh. A mature chase, shepherded by a young man with a head far wiser than his 24 years would suggest. NZ suffer their first defeat of the 2019 World Cup, and their first group stage defeat in 8 years.

Mickey Arthur runs down the changing room with an arm around Shaheen Afridi, a wide grin on his face. His team is not going down without a fight, and that is all he;s asked of them.

49.1
4
Ferguson to Sarfaraz, FOUR runs

full toss, and Sarfaraz smashes it through point. Massive win for Pakistan!

Ferguson to bowl the final over

end of over 493 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 237/4CRR: 4.83 RRR: 1.00
Babar Azam101 (127b 11x4)
Sarfaraz Ahmed1 (2b)
Matt Henry 7-0-25-0
Lockie Ferguson 8-0-46-1
48.6
Henry to Babar Azam, no run

straight to mid-on. Babar will not hit the winning runs, it seems. We're going to the final six balls

Fahim: "In 1992 SF Pakistan won by 4 wickets not 7" In the group stages it was 7 wkts

48.5
1
Henry to Sarfaraz, 1 run

comes through for one that time. Tucked into the on-side, and the scores are level

48.4
Henry to Sarfaraz, no run

Sarfaraz jabbed it through backward point and wanted a single, but Babar sends him back

Lots of you pointed out Pakistan beat NZ by 7 wickets in '92. That will not happen now. Has Haris unjinxed it all?

Anyhow, the captain's here

48.3
W
Henry to Babar Azam, OUT

is that gone? The third umpire is involved! Slower ball that Babar deadbatted but Haris absolutely hared through for one. He's short of his ground! Haris falls for a well-made 68

Haris Sohail run out (Guptill) 68 (76b 5x4 2x6 98m) SR: 89.47
48.2
1
Henry to Haris Sohail, 1 run

helped down to fine leg

48.1
1
Henry to Babar Azam, 1 run

smeared through the onside. They're doing this in singles now

Farhan: "Haris Sohail, what a commanding batter he is. Shows glimpses of Inzi & Yuvi."

Hold the press - Matt Henry's here! Lots of you missed him.

end of over 489 runs
PAK: 234/3CRR: 4.87 RRR: 2.00
Haris Sohail67 (75b 5x4 2x6)
Babar Azam100 (124b 11x4)
Lockie Ferguson 8-0-46-1
Trent Boult 10-0-48-1
47.6
Ferguson to Haris Sohail, no run

slower ball deceived him. Still four to go

47.5
2
Ferguson to Haris Sohail, 2 runs

full toss that Haris times nicely over extra cover. Another two, and now a boundary will do it. Will it come off this delivery?

47.5
1w
Ferguson to Haris Sohail, 1 wide

quick bouncer, but Bruce Oxenford reckons it's too high. Wide called, and Pakistan one hit away.

47.4
Ferguson to Haris Sohail, no run

good bouncer, Top edged into Haris's grill. No harm done, though, he's fine

47.3
1
Ferguson to Babar Azam, 1 run

and here it is! The 10th hundred for Babar Azam, and perhaps his most precious. Short and wide, and Babar slashes it away to deep cover before embracing Haris. The crowd goes wild, and every cheer is well deserved. The look on his face tells you how much it meant

47.2
1
Ferguson to Haris Sohail, 1 run

driven to mid-off, and they change ends. Babar on strike again, and the crowd falls silent in nervous excitement

47.1
4
Ferguson to Haris Sohail, FOUR runs

beautifully played. This is a 90mph bowler, but Haris had so much time. Opened the face of the bat and played it right under his nose, and sliced it through the backward point/third man gap

end of over 471 run
PAK: 225/3CRR: 4.78 RRR: 4.33
Babar Azam99 (123b 11x4)
Haris Sohail60 (70b 4x4 2x6)
Trent Boult 10-0-48-1
Lockie Ferguson 7-0-37-1
46.6
Boult to Babar Azam, no run

straight to the fielder at cover-point. Babar will have to wait another over, at least. Good over from Boult, who is also bowled out. Began with much promise, but couldn't quite follow it up

46.5
Boult to Babar Azam, no run

getting excited, was Babar. Looked to use his wrists and nudge it down to fine leg, but got a leading edge. Needs to keep his focus

46.4
Boult to Babar Azam, no run

excellent delivery, just seamed away and evaded Babar's drive. The crowd gasps. They're expectant, but also tense

46.3
Boult to Babar Azam, no run

eyes lit up, but the cut shot didn't have the placement

46.2
1
Boult to Haris Sohail, 1 run

pulled to fine leg, and this is the moment. Babar on 99, Babar on strike

46.1
Boult to Haris Sohail, no run

off stump line, Haris offers a straight bat

Malik Murad : "I think Williamson got too excited after taking Hafeez's wicket and bowled 8 overs. He should have created more pressure at that time. " To be fair, everyone got excited

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TEAMMWLPTNRR
IND971150.809
AUS972140.868
ENG963121.152
NZ953110.175
PAK95311-0.430
SL9348-0.919
SA9357-0.030
BAN9357-0.410
WI9265-0.225
AFG9090-1.322