ICC World Cup 2019: Match 33, New Zealand vs Pakistan – Best Memes from the Match

Babar Azam was all class on the day and he delivered when the team needed him the most.

By CricTracker Staff verified

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Babar Azam
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Babar Azam. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Pakistan! What can you say about this team? It has been another impeccable performance from them and the mother of coincidences from the 1992 World Cup continues. Even then they had brought New Zealand’s winning run in the tournament to a screeching halt and 27 years later, the Men in Green have done it again. However, this win will taste even sweeter, as it took some exceptional batting from Babar Azam and Haris Sohail on an extremely tough pitch to deny the Kiwis any sniff.

James Neesham’s brilliant knock had shifted momentum towards New Zealand and the chase of 238 runs was going to be a tricky one for Pakistan. Fakhar Zaman’s early wicket left the Kiwis buoyed and then Lockie Ferguson spit venom with his pace bowling and nipped out Imam-ul-Haq as well. At 44/2, it was important for Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez to hold the fort and the two did the same by adding 64 runs for the third wicket.

Babar looked in extremely good touch on the day. But Hafeez lost his cool and for the third time in this tournament, gifted his wicket away to a part-timer. At 110/3, the game was yet again in the balance as Mitchell Santner was extracting turn like anything. He would’ve run through any other side on most days but not against Pakistan.

Sohail and Babar showed amazing application out in the middle as they put on the match-winning stand of 124 runs. The latter also scored a gritty and probably the best century of his career and most importantly, remained unbeaten till the end. Pakistan chased down the total in the last over of the innings to stay alive in the World Cup.

Neesham and De Grandhomme help the Kiwis recover

It was carnage with the ball earlier in the day after New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first. Mohammad Amir struck with the first ball of his spell as Martin Guptill played the outside off-stump delivery on to his stumps. Colin Munro once again played a poor shot when it was least needed off Shaheen Afridi and then the left-arm seamer bowled a couple of dream deliveries to get the better of Ross Taylor and Tom Latham.

At 46/4, the Kiwis looked in dire straits and this is when Kane Williamson once again brought calmness to the proceedings. Along with James Neesham, he stitched a slow but steady of 37 runs in 83 deliveries. Just when it felt that New Zealand were coming back into the game, Shadab Khan bowled a beauty of a delivery to get rid of the dangerous Kiwi skipper. Williamson scored 41 off 69 deliveries with four fours.

From here on, it was again about repair work for the Black Caps and their all-rounders came to the fore for the team. Neesham batted superbly after getting hold of the slow and turning pitch while Colin de Grandhomme took his time to settle and then opened up. They upped the ante at the perfect time and put Pakistan bowlers under pressure in the death overs.

The duo added 132 runs in just more than 21 overs to bring New Zealand back into the game. Though De Grandhomme got out in the 48th over, Neesham carried on superbly to remain unbeaten on 97. Though he deserved the century, the all-rounder had pulled his team out from a troublesome situation. The total of 237 looked extremely competitive at the halfway stage but some classy batting from Babar Azam, helped Pakistan to get over the line in a tense game.

Here are some of the best memes:

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ICC Cricket World Cup 2019