Pakistan vs New Zealand, 1st ODI Highlights: Mohammad Rizwan led with an unbeaten 77-run knock and Babar Azam scored 66 as Pakistan chased down 256 runs against New Zealand with 6 wickets in hand in the first ODI at National Stadium, Karachi on Monday. Earlier, Naseem Shah's second five-wicket haul in the format helped the hosts restrict the Kiwis at 255 for 9 in 50 overs. Asked to bat first, New Zealand kept on losing wickets on a regular basis and failed to set a difficult target for Pakistan. Apart from Naseem, debutant spinner Usama Mir scalped two wickets. Mohammad Wasim Jr and Mohammad Nawaz also got one wicket each.
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson(c), Tom Latham(w), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson
Pakistan (Playing XI): Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Haris Sohail, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
Here are the Highlights of the 1st ODI Match between Pakistan and New Zealand straight from the National Stadium in Karachi
PAK vs NZ, 1st ODI Highlights
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That's a wrap to this one-sided game. The second ODI is on Wednesday, 11th January at 3 pm IST (9.30 am GMT). Do join us in advance for the build-up. Cheers!
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Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, says that they utilized the new balls perfectly and credits the fast bowlers. Praises his spinners also for executing the plans. Shares that their attempt was to build partnerships as it was not easy for a new batter. Lauds the batting effort of Mohammad Rizwan. He is happy with the bench strength and tells that he has a lot of options in both the pace and spin departments.
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Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand, says that they would have liked a few more runs on the board. Calls Pakistan clinical with the ball. Adds that in the second half, there was some assistance for the bowlers as well and there is some learning for his team. Mentions that they needed to build more partnerships and need to do things a little better in all departments. Feels that the toss had an impact but refuses to say that it cost them the game as there was assistance for the bowlers in the second innings as well. Wants his team to learn quickly and move on.
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Naseem Shah is the Player of the Match for his brilliant spell of 5 for 57 from his 10 overs. The young speedster says that personal performance only counts when you win the game. Praises the effort of all the players. Shares that it was reversing and he just stuck to the right areas.
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Stay tuned for the presentation...
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Agha Salman comes up for a quick chat. Says that it was a tricky surface and feels that 280-290 could have been a tough target. Shares that it was turning the same in the second innings but the reverse swing that Pakistan got, New Zealand didn't, maybe due to the dew factor. Adds that it's always important to win the first game of any series and it has set the tone for them.
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Earlier, New Zealand's batting didn't get the kind of fluency needed to put a big total on the board. They kept losing wickets at regular wickets, and that robbed them of momentum. Credit to Pakistan for putting up a disciplined display with the ball and their fielding was also quite impressive. A word of praise for Naseem Shah who was brilliant, both at the start and at the backend, and finished with a 5-wicket haul.
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As mentioned earlier, Pakistan were at ease during the chase. Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan played handy knocks and the likes of Haris Sohail and Agha Salman also chipped in with useful runs. An easy win in the end and the hosts will be quite pleased.
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The only way to win this game for New Zealand was by picking wickets, and they struggled exactly to do that. Kane Williamson's captaincy was quite ordinary as he persisted with his spinners for a longer period even when they were not able to either take wickets or build pressure. Ish Sodhi could have been handy here and was missed. The other Kiwi bowlers tried hard but there was not enough consistency in their execution. Still, Michael Bracewell looked quite effective whenever he came on to bowl. He had a catch dropped (Fakhar Zaman on 39) off his bowling as well.
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Clinical victory for Pakistan! It was a well-planned chase from them, and the home team showed how to bat in these conditions. Partnerships are always the key in any batting inning, and the hosts constructed plenty of stands on their way to the target. New Zealand were pretty much flat with their effort, looked undercooked in both departments and were always behind the 8-ball in this game.
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48.16Tim Southee to
SIX! THAT IS IT! Agha Salman finishes things off for Pakistan! Tim Southee bowls this one on a length outside off, Agha Salman clears his front leg and thumps this one down the ground. Clears the long off fence and collects a maximum. Pakistan win by 6 wickets!
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47.61Lockie Ferguson to
Short of a length around off, Agha Salman guides this one towards third man and takes a single. Pakistan now need 4 off the last two overs.
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47.50Lockie Ferguson to
Short and outside off by Lockie Ferguson, Agha Salman looks to steer this one on the off side but fails to get any bat on it.
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47.41Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Rizwan
Short and at the batter, Mohammad Rizwan works this one from the crease towards deep square leg for a single. 5 needed more off 14 balls.
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47.30Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Rizwan
LBW shout! Not given. Kane Williamson decides to review. Not much excitement shown by the Kiwis. Shortish and around off, Rizwan sits back to pull but misses. He is hit on the right thigh. Nothing on the UltraEdge and it's missing the stumps. New Zealand took the review because they had one.
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47.20Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Rizwan
Back of a length on off, Mohammad Rizwan defends this one back to the bowler.
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47.12Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Rizwan
Short and wide outside off, Mohammad Rizwan slashes this one wide of deep cover and collects a couple of runs. Agha Salman would have been in trouble had Lockie Ferguson collected it cleanly at the non-striker's end.
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46.62Tim Southee to
Good-length delivery outside off, Agha Salman punches it towards deep cover for a couple of runs.
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46.51Tim Southee to Mohammad Rizwan
Length delivery on off, Mohammad Rizwan taps it off the back foot towards mid-wicket and takes a quick single. Daryl Mitchell fires a throw a the non-striker's end and ends up hitting Rizwan on the back. Again the players exchange smiles.
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46.41Tim Southee to
Back of a length on off, Agha Salman pushes it towards extra cover and takes a single.