PAK vs NZ: In the first match of the triangular series, Pakistan faced a heavy defeat at the hands of New Zealand by a margin of 78 runs. Although Fakhar Zaman showed a tremendous knock, the other batsmen did not contribute enough, and the Kiwis gained a huge win. New Zealand scored 330/6 while Pakistan replied with 252 in 48 overs.
New Zealand’s innings got off to a shaky start. In the very first over, Shaheen Afridi made an early breakthrough by dismissing Will Young for just 4 runs. Rachin Ravindra looked promising, contributing 25 runs, but was also dismissed within the powerplay. At this point, New Zealand was struggling at 39/2.
However, the more experienced duo of Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell steadied the ship. Williamson, though coming in slowly in his approach, added a decent 58 runs from 89 balls before he was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi. Meanwhile, Daryl Mitchell has played an important role, providing stability to the New Zealand innings and eventually reaching fifty runs.
Mitchell’s knock of 81 runs off 84 balls came to an end by Abrar Ahmed in the 38th over, when they were at 200. Even wicket-keeper batsman Tom Latham could not make it to the scoreboard, so the pressure was mounting on the Kiwis.
Glenn Phillips Shines in the Final Overs
In the last 10 overs, Glenn Phillips really batted aggressively and took New Zealand to a huge total. After getting to his fifty off 56 balls, Phillips was aggressive, as he scored a century off just 16 more balls. The explosive batter was left unbeaten on 106 runs from 74 balls. New Zealand also finished well by scoring 123 runs in the last 10 overs.
Despite a spirited effort from Shaheen Afridi, who claimed three wickets in his 10 overs, conceding 88 runs, New Zealand’s total proved to be an imposing one. Abrar Ahmed also picked up two wickets, but New Zealand’s late surge put them in a dominant position.
Fakhar Zaman’s Brave Effort, But No Support from Teammates
Fakhar Zaman started Pakistan’s chase in a very attacking manner and played a brilliant knock at the top of the order. Fakhar’s attacking strokeplay saw him race to fifty off 47 balls, and he continued to accelerate thereafter. However, his valiant 84 runs off 69 balls ended when he was trapped LBW by Glenn Phillips.
Pakistani was unlucky as nothing could be done after Fakhar’s brilliance. The other batsmen, however, did not step up. Mohammad Rizwan, the captain, left without making even 3 runs, while the main man Babar Azam went for a very cheap 10 runs off 23 balls, courtesy of Michael Bracewell. Kamran Ghulam managed only 18 runs off 32 deliveries, and Pakistan was reeling significantly early on.
Middle and Lower Order Fight, But Defeat is Inevitable
Pakistan’s mountain to climb seemed too vast and was left behind after Fakhar’s dismissal, but the duo of Salman Agha and Tayyab Tahir did some oar work. Salman added 57 runs for the fifth wicket with Tayyab Tahir and he scored 40 runs. Tayyab Tahir was bowled by Matt Henry for 30 runs off 29 balls.
The lower order chipped in with brief contributions, but not enough to avoid the defeat. Pakistan’s innings came to an end at 252 runs for the loss of ten wickets in the 48th over, which was well below New Zealand’s total.
New Zealand’s Dominant Bowling Performance in PAK vs NZ
The New Zealand bowlers were clinical in their effort, with Matt Henry and captain Mitchell Santner each taking three wickets. Henry’s tight spell of 3/46 and Santner’s control during the middle overs proved crucial for New Zealand as they restricted Pakistan’s response to a manageable figure.
The whole team’s performance reflected their strong points, whether it was with the bat or the ball, as they claimed an easy 78-run victory. Fakhar Zaman once again fought out a good score for Pakistan but could not take the team across the line after a good start. The Kiwis, meanwhile, showed an all-round effort with Glenn Phillips’ explosive innings and a tight bowling attack to ensure a big win.
This victory sets New Zealand up in a very competitive position for the rest of the triangular series while leaving Pakistan a lot to think about before the next match.
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