In the first one-day international (ODI) of the five-match series at Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Ground, Pakistan delivered a resounding blow to New Zealand, securing a comprehensive five-wicket victory.
Pakistan’s batsman Fakhar Zaman displayed his prowess by guiding the Green Shirts to successfully chase down 289 runs in 48.3 overs, earning them a win against the Black Caps.
Fakhar’s outstanding performance in Rawalpindi included his remarkable ninth ODI century, achieved while leading Pakistan to victory. With an impressive total of 117 runs, Fakhar played a crucial role in Pakistan’s five-wicket triumph.
Opening alongside Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar set the stage for Pakistan’s chase with a solid partnership of 124 runs. Regarded as one of Pakistan’s reliable opening pairs in ODIs, Fakhar and Imam demonstrated responsibility and resilience against the New Zealand bowlers.
Imam contributed 60 runs before being dismissed by Ish Sodhi in the 22nd over. However, Fakhar remained composed and continued to accumulate valuable runs. Captain Babar Azam, unfortunately, fell just one run short of his half-century. Nevertheless, his brief presence at the crease provided support to Fakhar’s innings.
Mohammad Rizwan, batting at number five, remained unbeaten with 42 runs and sealed the victory with a decisive shot.
New Zealand’s Adam Milne claimed two wickets, while Blair Tickner, Ish Sodhi, and Rachin Ravindra each took one wicket.
In their innings, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell played a pivotal role as they posted a score of 288-7 in 50 overs against Pakistan in the first ODI.
Mitchell, partnering with Will Young, forged a strong partnership after New Zealand lost opener Chad Bowes (18) in the 10th over. When Mitchell and Young joined forces, New Zealand were at 48-1, and together they resurrected their team’s innings.
Their impressive 102-run partnership off 101 balls gave New Zealand a solid foundation in the ODI series opener. Pakistani bowlers faced considerable pressure but managed to stage a solid comeback.
While Naseem Shah’s brilliant initial spell didn’t yield a wicket, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan displayed a commendable performance with the ball.
Young’s innings came to an end after scoring 86 runs, including eight boundaries and two sixes, falling to Shadab. However, Mitchell continued his momentum and partnered with captain Tom Latham for another valuable stand. Together, they accumulated 72 runs before Shaheen dismissed Latham (20).
In the later part of the innings, Shaheen claimed Mitchell’s wicket after the right-hander had already made a significant contribution. Mitchell’s impressive knock of 113 runs comprised 11 boundaries and a maximum.
Naseem Shah, towards the end, took two consecutive wickets to conclude his dominant spell of 10 overs, conceding only 29 runs while securing two wickets for Pakistan.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first against New Zealand. Despite missing eight players, including captain Kane Williamson, due to the ongoing Indian Premier League or injuries, the Black Caps surprised the home side by leveling the preceding five-match Twenty20 series 2-2. Under the leadership of stand-in captain Tom Latham, New Zealand skillfully adapted to the conditions, making a strong comeback from being 2-0 down to win the third and fifth matches, with the fourth match abandoned due to rain.
Under Azam’s captaincy, Pakistan has won five out of the seven ODI series. The two losses came against England
