As Babar Azam and Co sneaked into the T20 World Cup semi-final, Pakistan fans started likening the team’s run Imran Khan and his team had during the 1992 World Cup.
And it seems the dream is alive as Pakistan thrashed New Zealand to secure a place in the final just like they did during the 1992 World Cup’s semi-final. The win means Pakistan will be playing their third T20 World Cup final since the tournament started in 2007.
The Black Caps had set a 153-run target for Pakistan which the Men in Green chased down with ease.
Before this game, everyone had questions about the opening pair of the team and it seems the 105-run partnership between skipper Babar Azam and wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan should end the debate.
It was in the 12th over that New Zealand dismissed Babar for 53 to end the partnership. At that point, Pakistan required 47 from 43 balls.
But by then, the Men In Green had already gained much ground. Rizwan and Mohammad Haris kept the scoreboard ticking until the wicket-keeper-batter was dismissed via run out at 57.
Haris was caught at short fine leg on the last ball of the 19th over. Right in the next over, Pakistan won the match by seven wickets.
The Men In Green will now face either England or India — who will face off tomorrow.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell’s half-century helped New Zealand set a 153-run target after New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson opted to bat first.
Pakistan were off to a flying start when they confined New Zealand at 49/3 at the end of the eight overs.
But a 68-run partnership between Kane Williamson and Mitchell brought New Zealand back into the game.
The partnership was looking threatening for Pakistan and had it continued New Zealand may have needed a higher total. However, Shaheen dismissed Williamson in the 17th over to stop New Zealand’s charge.
However, Mitchell along with James Neesham helped the Black Caps end the innings at 152/4.
For New Zealand, Mitchell was the highest scorer and remained unbeaten for 53.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Devon Conway (wk), Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
The deaths of four Pakistanis in a boat capsizing event close to the southern Greek island of Goudos have been verified by the Foreign Office.
The incident happened on Sunday and at least five illegal immigrants drowned as a result. According to Greek Coast Guards, 39 people were rescued after the wooden boat overturned, but 40 more are still unaccounted for.
According to a Foreign Office spokeswoman, the four Pakistani nationals were among those killed in the catastrophe. In order to help the remaining Pakistanis and repatriate the corpses of the deceased, the Pakistani Embassy in Athens has been in close communication with Greek authorities, she said.
Additional information was given by Aamir Aftab Qureshi, Pakistan’s ambassador to Greece, during a press conference. According to him, there were 80 Pakistanis on board the doomed boat, and efforts are still being made to find the people who are still missing.
He added that the overcrowding on the boat was a factor in the capsizing. There are worries over the safety of the missing people because a sizable portion of them are children. He stated that five boats carrying Pakistani nationals were traveling illegally from Libya.
The public was also informed by Ambassador Qureshi that the government will pay for the return flight of the accident victims’ bodies.
Approximately 450 Pakistanis, including 250 Zaireen, have successfully crossed into Lebanon from Syria, according to the spokesperson for the Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.
During her weekly briefing at the foreign office in Islamabad, she stated that Pakistan is pleased with the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on the Gaza Strip, which calls for an immediate ceasefire.
In addition, she expressed her satisfaction with the elimination of limits placed on UNRWA’s ability to carry out relief activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
It was stated by her that Pakistan is demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Palestine, an end to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for those who are in urgent need, full support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and its mandated humanitarian activities, and medical assistance for those who are in urgent need.
Moreover, she stated that Pakistan emphasises the need for the international community to hold Israel accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity that it has committed in occupied lands.
The Israeli aggression against Syria, the illegitimate acquisition of Syrian territory, and the massive devastation of Syrian infrastructure as well as civilian and military sites are all topics that Pakistan is extremely worried about, according to the spokesperson for Pakistan.
According to her, this attack on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a serious violation of international law to the highest degree. By expressing our support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are also expressing our opposition to the Israeli government’s attempt to acquire territory through coercion.
The resolution 497 of the United Nations Security Council, which declares the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel to be null and illegal and to have no international legal impact, was reaffirmed by her organisation.