On Saturday, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan mentioned his team’s victory over New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at McLean Park.
Rizwan’s Post-Match Thoughts
At the time of the interview, Rizwan declared supporters of both the team and the team itself.
“The way we started the second innings–we played with good intent and executed the essentials needed for a chase. We have come from far, come close to the victory, but failed because of some things that happened in the last few overs under pressure,” he said.
He appreciated the bowlers’ fine show at the start and mentioned their adaptability to Kiwi conditions. . We need to take our chances at the right moments,” Rizwan said.
The Pakistani cricket team mastered the debuts of the players at the start of the year, praising the participation of the rookies in the team. He mentioned that it would benefit the youngsters to learn the knowledge they acquire by playing in the extremely tough conditions of a cold and windy New Zealand winter.
Rizwan was confident irrespective of the defeat: “The outcome was not on our part, yet we have two more games. We will get together and return in full swing.”
Pakistan’s Chase Falls Short
While chasing a mammoth 345-run target, Usman Khan and Abdullah Shafique opened with a good stand of 83 runs. Usman got out after making 39 runs, bowled by Nathan Smith, while Abdullah left the field with a score of 36 runs.
Nevertheless, Pakistan’s middle order completely disappeared after Babar’s wicket in the 39th over. Tayyab Tahir was run out, Irfan Khan Niazi got the infamous golden duck, and the last lower order could not provide much support as Pakistan was bowled out for 271 in 44.1 overs.
New Zealand’s Bowlers Shine
Nathan Smith was the standout bowler, recording a 4-60 stat line. Jacob Duffy got two wickets, and Bracewell, Abbas, and O’Rourke each had one, which helped secure the bowlers’ victory.
Chapman and Mitchell Lead New Zealand to Big Total
To start with, New Zealand was given a chance to bat. They were, however, facing difficulties at the beginning. Naseem Shah removed Will Young early while Akif Javed did likewise, striking twice to leave New Zealand on 50-3 in the 13th over.
On the other hand, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell played heroics to bring the Kiwis out of the shadows with an awesome 199-run partnership. Chapman especially came out with a match-winning 132, hitting 13 fours and six sixes. Mitchell added 76 to this figure before he was dismissed by Irfan Niazi.
Mohammad Abbas, in his maiden innings, hit a quickfire 50 from just 24 balls, letting the team reach 344-8 runs in 50 overs.
Pakistan’s bowlers also showed their skills, with Irfan Niazi getting 3 wickets for 51 runs. Haris Rauf and Akif Javed got two wickets each, while the pair of Naseem Shah and Mohammad Ali took one each.
Series Travels to Hamilton for Second ODI
Thanks to this impressive victory, New Zealand now enjoys a 1-0 advantage in the series. The second ODI will take place on Wednesday, April 2, and will be hosted at Seddon Park, Hamilton, where Pakistan hopes to pull off a comeback and ensure the series is not over yet.
