NZ thrash Pakistan by 183 runs in 3rd ODI, win series
Trent Boult was declared Man of the Match for his devastating spell.
DUNEDIN (Dunya News) – New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 183 runs in the third one-day international (ODI) in Dunedin and clinched the five-match series on Saturday with two games to spare.
Pakistan batting line-up stumbled once again and wickets kept on falling at regular intervals while chasing New Zealand’s 257. The tourists, who were 16/6 in 14.5 overs, were bowled out at 74.
Boult removed Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hafeez in the space of five balls to put Pakistan in a hole they were never going to get out of. While the tourists struggled to stay afloat, Babar Azam was unnecessarily run out.
Part-time bowler Colin Munro, with career figures of one for 203 before this match, bowled Shadab Khan without scoring and had Hasan Ali spectacularly caught by Williamson for one to return with figures of two for 10 off seven overs.
Rumman Raees (16), Sarfraz Ahmed (14*), Mohammad Amir (14) and Faheem Ashraf (10) were the only four batsmen to enter the double figures for Pakistan. Trent Boult picked up five wickets for 17 runs and was declared Man of the Match for his devastating spell.
It was Pakistan’s joint third lowest total after 43 and 71. Pakistan had scored 43 runs against the West Indies in Cape Town on February 25, 1993.
The second lowest total also came against the Windies on January 9, 1993 when Pakistan were all out on 71 runs. The Green Shirts have been dismisses on the total of 74 once before against England in Adelaide.
Let it be known that Pakistan needed to win this match to keep the series alive, as they had earlier lost the first two ODIs.
New Zealand Innings
Half-centuries by Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor helped New Zealand to 257 in the face of a sharply improved performance by Pakistan in the field at the third one-day international.
In the last eight overs, when New Zealand needed to lift the run rate, they were restricted to 48 runs and lost seven wickets of which 11 runs came in the final over. Pakistan managed to pin New Zealand down at key times.
Williamson, who uncharacteristically struggled to penetrate the field for much of his innings, made 73 but it took 101 deliveries to get there.
Taylor made 52 off 64 for his 57th ODI half-century, equalling the New Zealand record held by Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle.
Rumman Raees returned figures of three for 51, Hasan Ali took three for 59 and Shadab Khan took two for 51 with his wickets coming of successive balls.
New Zealand made a flying start with Martin Guptill and Colin Munro cracking sixes for their first scoring shots but the innings stalled soon after.
Munro only faced three balls from Faheem Ashraf in the second over -- a six, two and caught behind, and New Zealand were 15 for one after 10 balls.
Tight bowling and a slow outfield restricted New Zealand to 37 for one after 10 overs and the pressure started to show by the 20th over as the run rate remained around four an over.
On the first ball of the next over Williamson wanted to run two on a drive to deep point but Guptill was too slow to respond and was easily run out for 45.
With the introduction of Ross Taylor, playing his 400th innings for New Zealand across all formats, the pace started to quicken.
Williamson was given out leg before wicket to Shoaib Malik on 43 but the decision was overturned on review and he went on to 73 before he was well caught by Mohammad Hafeez on the second take off Rumman.
Tom Latham joined Taylor to maintain the pace with New Zealand 195 for three after 40 overs.
But in the 43rd over Taylor was trapped in front by Shadab and wickets fell regularly from there.
Henry Nicholls was caught and bowled off the first ball he faced leaving Mitchell Santner to deny Shadab a hat-trick.
With inputs from AFP
