Pakistan secured a comfortable six-wicket victory against previously unbeaten New Zealand in the World Cup clash between the two sides at Edgbaston on Wednesday (Jun 26).

The Green Shirts were only a run away from clinching victory against the Kiwis, with six wickets in hand, when skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed stepped onto the crease to hit the winning shot after Haris Sohail was run out by Guptill.

Babar Azam scored a century, the first from the side in this tournament.

As Babar Azam was a runaway from scoring it, four dot balls followed, each drawing out gasps of disappointment from spectators.

Mohammad Hafeez (32 off 50 balls) was dismissed by New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson at 24.5 overs.

The 101-run partnership came for Azam and Sohail at 44.4 overs with deafening cheers of support coming in from the stands.

New Zealand managed to post 237 runs for the loss of six wickets, thanks to a 132-runs partnership between James Neesham (97 not out) and Colin de Grandhomme (64).

Pakistani bowlers ripped through Kiwis' top order who were 84 for five by the 27th over. Mohammad Amir struck on his first ball, dismissing New Zealand opener Martin Guptill (5) in the second over.

Shaheen Afridi stood out, bagging three wickets for just 28 runs in his 10 over spell.

It took 32 overs for New Zealand to make it to 100 runs, who lost five wickets along the way.

Neesham and de Grandhomme then stood their ground to give their team a fighting chance, forming a 100-plus runs partnership.

New Zealand had won the toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan in the high-stakes Cricket World Cup game at Edgbaston, Birmingham.