3 records that Fakhar Zaman broke during his fiery 126* vs New Zealand at 2023 ODI World Cup 

Fakhar Zaman came up with a freakish show as he made a resounding century in a must-win game against New Zealand at the 2023 ICC men's ODI World Cup in Bengaluru on November 4.

The left-hander raced away to 126 runs off 81 deliveries to help his side win the encounter by 21 runs via the DLS method.

Chasing a mammoth target of 402, Zaman lost his opening partner Abdullah Shafique in the second over. However, the asking rate was such that he couldn't afford to have a cautious start.

In the fifth over, he took on Trent Boult and smoked him for a four, followed by a six. He started Boult's next over with a six as well before bludgeoning sixes against Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner.

With his massive bat swing and forceful power, Zaman scored boundaries for fun and looked capable of sending anything out of the park. After reaching fifty in 39 balls, he hammered off-spinner Glenn Phillips for three sixes and two fours in only eight balls.

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Zaman, who scored 81 off 74 in his previous game against Bangladesh, exhibited a phenomenal batting performance and always kept his team ahead of the DLS par score. Skipper Babar Azam also played his part and remained unbeaten at 66 off 63 before continuous rain halted the match.

After the cut-off time was completed, Pakistan was declared the winner, and Zaman was adjudged Player of the Match for his heroics.

En route to his marvelous knock of 126*, Fakhar Zaman shattered a slew of records. Here is a compilation of three such records that he broke in the recently concluded clash against New Zealand.

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#3 Joint-highest partnership for any wicket for Pakistan in ODI World Cups

Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam [Getty Images]

Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam batted magnificently for Pakistan. The duo were involved in an unbeaten partnership of 194 runs, made only in 141 balls.

While Zaman proved to be the aggressor in the partnership, Babar also kept the scoreboard ticking with timely boundaries.

The hard-hitting strokes from the left-hander allowed Babar to play his natural game freely. Their 194-run stand is now the joint-highest partnership for Pakistan in ODI World Cups.

Zaman and Babar have joined Saeed Anwar and Wajatullah Wasti on the list, who added 194 runs for the first wicket against New Zealand in the first semifinal of the 1999 ODI World Cup in Manchester.

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#2 Joint-most sixes by a Pakistani batter in an ODI innings

Fakhar Zaman with a one-handed six [Getty Images]

Taking advantage of the batting-friendly conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Fakhar Zaman took a toll on the Kiwi bowlers and hammered them with the utmost ease.

He targeted the leg-side area the most, clearing boundary riders on every occasion. The 33-year-old clobbered eight boundaries and as many as 11 sixes during his unbeaten knock.

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Zaman's 11 sixes are now the joint-most by any Pakistani batter in a single ODI innings. Previously, Shahid Afridi was the sole record holder when he smashed 11 sixes during his 40-ball 102 vs. Sri Lanka in an ODI in 1996 in Nairobi.

Moreover, Zaman's 11 sixes are now the most any Pakistani batter has hit in an ODI World Cup innings, surpassing Imran Nazir's record of eight sixes against Zimbabwe in 2007.

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#1 Fastest ODI World Cup century for Pakistan

Fakhar Zaman after his century vs NZ [Getty Images]

We have already witnessed some striking centuries in the ongoing 2023 ODI World Cup. Zaman, on Saturday, dished out another fabulous three-digit knock and hammered a 63-ball ton.

In only the 20th over, the Pakistani opener completed his hundred, which has now become the fastest-ever century (in 63 balls) for Pakistan in ODI World Cups.

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Previously, Imran Nazir held the record, who took 95 balls to get his hundred against Zimbabwe at the 2007 ODI World Cup.

Zaman's 126*-run knock is now also the third-highest individual score by a Pakistani in ODI World Cups after Imran Nazir's 160 (vs ZIM) and Mohammad Rizwan's 131* (vs SL).

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