Santner could only watch and admire Babar’s ‘special knock’ for Pakistan

• New Zealand were beaten by Pakistan by six wickets at Edgbaston
• Babar Azam scored 101 not out as Pakistan chased down New Zealand’s 237

Mitchell Santner admitted he felt powerless to stop a 'special knock' from Babar Azam as New Zealand fell to their first ICC Men's Cricket World Cup defeat against Pakistan.

Defending 237 at Edgbaston following early fireworks from Shaheen Afridi with the new ball, the previously unbeaten Black Caps were thwarted by a brilliant century from Babar, whose masterful knock saw Pakistan to a six-wicket victory.

Key to the Men in Green's success was the 24-year-old's 126-run partnership with Haris Sohail, with the pair negotiating the tricky middle overs against the spin of Santner on a turning Edgbaston wicket.

Economical but ultimately wicketless from his 10-over stint with the ball, the New Zealand all-rounder was left to rue a missed opportunity as the in-form pair saw Pakistan home.

"It's the spinner's role to take wickets on a surface like that, but credit has to go to Pakistan for the way they batted," Santner said. "That partnership through the middle was pretty special.

"The way they were able to manipulate the field when they were only chasing 237, that was the way to go about it.

"It's not easy (facing Babar). That was a pretty special knock out there today.

"He looked like he had it in him from the word go and the way he paced his innings was pretty special.

"Him and Haris Sohail took it away from us in those middle overs.

"When teams get momentum, they are difficult to stop.

"Pakistan are right up there with some of the best.

"We saw Pakistan do that in the Champions Trophy and they couldn't be stopped, so they're obviously timing their run well."

"If they win their next two, they're in with a real sniff."

After five victories in their opening six games, victory in Birmingham would have confirmed the Black Caps' safe passage into the semi-finals of the competition.

Australia and India lying in wait in their final two games, but Santner is backing his side to come out fighting in the face of increased pressure.

"For sure you want to win every game and if we'd won today it would have been a semi-final spot," he added. "But there's no easy beats in this competition.

"Pakistan have played very well in these conditions before having won the Champions Trophy, so we knew it was going to be a tough game today and it was.

"We scrapped at the end but came on the wrong side of a nail biter.

"It puts more pressure on us in the final few games but we're going to look to win them and go from there. "