Bates first hit 126 runs off 135 balls to guide the hosts to a total of 265 for 8 and Rowe followed up with the ball to pick up five wickets for 55 runs to give the Kiwis victory by 71 runs.

The veteran batter put on a show for the home fans with 14 boundaries aiding her way to her fourth World Cup hundred and her 12th in one-day international (ODI) cricket.

She also surpassed 5,000 ODI runs in the process.

New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine was bowled by Anam Amin for 12 runs in the sixth over to give the bottom place side a rush of early optimism.

Nevertheless, Bates steered the innings with Katey Martin, Brooke Halliday, Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green who made totals of 30, 29, 24 and 23 respectively.

Nida Dar was the standout Pakistan bowler with figures of three wickets for 39 runs, including the wickets of Kerr and Amy Satterthwaite in just three balls.

Coming in at number five, Dar was also the pick of the Pakistan batters after scoring an efficient 50 runs off 53 balls.

Pakistan started slowly with the bat as they were reduced to 73 for 3 in the 20^th over after Sidra Ameen, Muneeba Ali and Omaima Sohail were dismissed for 14, 29 and 14 respectively.

Dar and Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof provided stability to offer their team a chance by making an 82 partnership, but eventually the pressure of run scoring struck.

Rowe picked up the wicket of Maroof for 38 runs and then Aliya Riaz for just one.

The Pakistan collapse continued as Rowe ripped through Dar as well as Fatima Sana for a duck.

Rowe’s tremendous performance was completed once she knocked over Sidra Nawaz’s wicket for 10.

Pakistan’s tail-enders batted out the remaining overs and finished on a score of 194 for 9.

New Zealand’s efforts to qualify for the semi-finals may be too late, however, as England and India both need to lose against Bangladesh and South Africa, respectively, for them to have a chance.

If the defeats are significant enough, the hosts will progress to the next round on net run rate.