Pakistan Cricket Team became World No.1 team in ICC ODI Ranking by thrashing New Zealand by 102 runs in the fourth ODI match, as they also went 4-0 up in the series.
Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam played a key role in the victory as he scored his 18th ODI century whereas Usama Mir and Muhammad Wasim picked up four and three wickets respectively.
PCB Management Committee Head Najam Sethi congratulated the team on their big achievement and tweeted that the best is yet to come.
Shan Masood and Fakhar Zaman opened the innings as Imam-ul-Haq was rested, and Pakistan lost the first wicket on 36 runs as Fakhar Zaman was dismissed on 14 runs.
Shan Masood and Babar Azam added 50 runs for the second wicket, which ended when Shan was stumped for 44 runs.
Muhammad Rizwan scored 24 runs before getting run out but Babar Azam kept going and had 117 runs partnership with Salman Ali Agha.
Salman Ali Agha got out after scoring 58 runs and Iftikhar Ahmed played a cameo of 28 runs, but Babar Azam went on to score his 18th century.
Shaheen Shah Afridi smashed three sixes in the last over as he remained not out on 23 runs off 7 balls whereas Muhammad Haris scored 17 runs off 8 balls.
The 335 runs target set by the green shirts turned out to be too much for New Zealand as they succumbed to their fourth straight defeat in the ongoing five-match series despite a brilliant half-century by their skipper Latham.
Latham remained the top scorer for the touring side with a 76-ball 60, which featured five boundaries.
