Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Fakhar Zaman's stunning hundred vs New Zealand in 2023 World Cup clash ft. Misbah-ul-Haq

Against all expectations and logical reasoning, the Pakistan team, led by Fakhar Zaman, found its teeth as they boldly embarked on the daunting task of chasing 402 runs against New Zealand on Saturday. With a combination of favorable weather conditions and an extraordinary century by Zaman, Pakistan had luck smiling on them through the doom of dark clouds when the rain intervened.

They were just above the 20-over threshold required for a result based on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, securing a 21-run advantage over the DLS cut-off at that moment.

Pakistan, true to their unpredictable nature, owed their success to Fakhar Zaman, whose impeccable timing in his 126-run innings surpassed even the precision of his shots. The partnership between him and Babar Azam, which added 194 runs, began with the latter expertly complementing Zaman by keeping the scoreboard ticking through smart strike rotation.

Fakhar Zaman showcased his prowess by striking a total of eight fours and 11 sixes. He was unstoppable and no bowler had any answers.

#5 Aakash Chopra - "Why did you drop him? "

Aakash Chopra heaped praise on Fakhar Zaman for his scintillating century during Pakistan's victory over New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup. Chopra also raised a question regarding why the opener was left out of the team for a few matches.

In his video analysis, posted on his YouTube channel, Chopra emphasized that Pakistan's triumph was well-deserved as he commended Zaman for delivering a game-changing performance.

"The DLS target was reduced slightly because of rain. You can say that 400 runs don't get chased but it's not Pakistan's fault. They were ahead by quite a big margin based on the rules and the better team on the day actually won," Chopra said.

The former India opener added:

"Luck was slightly in their favor but you need to write your own luck. You have to praise Fakhar Zaman for that because Babar was going at a run-a-ball only at the other end, but this guy batted amazingly well. Why did you drop him?"

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#4 Gautam Gambhir - 'No words to describe'

Amidst all the carnage, Babar Azam, who was at the crease alongside Fakhar Zaman during his explosive innings, remained unbeaten with 66 runs from 63 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir credited Azam for Zaman's century, saying (via Crictoday.com):

“Babar Azam is the reason for Zaman’s hundred. He was holding ome end up. If Azam would have been dismissed, Fakhar hasn’t been able to complete his three-figure mark. He would have gone for shots under pressure."

“I don’t have words to express the quality of the left-hander’s century. He really took on the bowlers,” he added.

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#3 Virender Sehwag - 'Which brains benched Fakhar for best part of tournament'

Chasing down 401 runs, Pakistan suffered an early setback as Abdullah Shafique departed in the second over. However, Fakhar Zaman and captain Babar Azam joined forces to craft an exceptional partnership of 194 runs, marking the joint-highest partnership for Pakistan in ODI World Cups for any wicket.

Azam remained unbeaten with 66 runs as Pakistan reached a total of 200 for the loss of just one wicket in 25.3 overs before the rain intervened for the second and final time.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag expressed his admiration for the outstanding performance. He also took a sharp jab at Pakistan, raising questions about the decision to keep Zaman on the bench for a significant portion of the tournament.

“What an innings by Fakhar Zaman, by far Pakistan’s best batter. Which brains kept him on the bench for the best part of the tournament, God knows. Protein ki bhi kami nahin, jajbe ki bhi,” he posted on X.

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#2 Misbah-ul-Haq - No bigger hitter in Pakistan cricket

Fakhar Zaman was in imperious hitting form and his efforts single-handedly kept Pakistan in the run chase and also in the World Cup. Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was all praise for the left-hander and his clear thinking and excellent hitting.

He spoke about the efforts on a talk show on A Sports:

"Confidence is of utmost importance for Fakhar. When he enters his zone, he exudes confidence. He shed any extra baggage and now, he has a clear head since his comeback. When he adopts this mindset, he becomes a formidable force, especially against spinners, capable of hitting five or more sixes. His ability to score significant runs, unmatched in Pakistan cricket, allowed him to single-handedly take control of the game."

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#1 Shoaib Malik - Fakhar Zaman should be backed by management

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik believes that the management should always have Fakhar Zaman in the mix. He says that the left-hander has the ability to chase down totals in excess of 370 as he takes risks, and thus when he goes through a bad patch, the management should not completely abandon him.

"He aggressively takes on the bowlers, particularly with his high backlift, allowing his bat to flow smoothly as he attacks the bowling. When Pakistan is chasing a target of 370 on a favorable pitch, Fakhar and Iftikhar prove to be valuable assets. However, when he experiences a loss of form, the management should avoid confining him to a passive role," Malik said (via A Sports).