Pakistan's left-handed opener, Fakhar Zaman, proved to be the hero of the match as he single-handedly demolished New Zealand's hopes of winning the second ODI of the five-match series at Rawalpindi's Pindi Stadium. Fakhar's sensational innings not only helped Pakistan secure a 2-0 lead in the series but also gave them the confidence they needed to dominate the rest of the games.
New Zealand had set a formidable target of 337 runs for Pakistan to chase, which was going to be a daunting task for any team. However, Fakhar had other ideas. He put on a masterclass display of batting and led his team to the highest run-chase in ODIs at Rawalpindi, with ten balls remaining to spare.
Fakhar was ably supported by Pakistan's skipper, Babar Azam, who played a crucial role in building a match-winning partnership of 135 runs. Babar scored 65 runs before getting out on a soft dismissal off Ish Sodhi. But Fakhar kept going and partnered strongly with Mohammad Rizwan to complete the run chase with ease.
Fakhar's unbeaten 180 runs, which included 17 boundaries and six maximums, was an incredible display of stroke-play. He played with a lot of maturity and composure and showed his class as a world-class opener. Fakhar also became the fastest Asian to score 3,000 runs, which is a testament to his skill and consistency.
What was even more remarkable about Fakhar's innings was that it was his third consecutive century in ODIs, making him only the fourth Pakistan batter to do so after Zaheer Abbas, Saeed Anwar and Babar Azam. This achievement is a testament to his class and consistency as a batsman.
Apart from Fakhar, Mohammad Rizwan also played a vital role in Pakistan's win. Rizwan scored an unbeaten 54 runs and brought up his 19th half-century in a winning cause for his team. He played with a lot of maturity and composure and showed his ability to play under pressure.
On the other hand, Daryl Mitchell played a brilliant innings for New Zealand, registering his second ODI hundred to help his team post 336-5. After losing opener Will Young in the sixth over, Mitchell and Chad Bowes put on a solid partnership of 86 runs to give New Zealand a platform to build on. However, Haris Rauf's four-wicket haul put a dent in New Zealand's hopes of setting an even bigger target.
In conclusion, Fakhar Zaman's spectacular performance with the bat was the highlight of the match. He showed his class and skill as a world-class opener and led his team to a convincing victory. Pakistan will look to continue their winning momentum in the next game, while New Zealand will have to regroup and come up with a better strategy to beat Pakistan in the upcoming games of the series.