NZ clinch ODI series as Pakistan lose by 84 runs
Cricket
Hay’s unbeaten 99 runs guided New Zealand to reach 292 runs for the loss of eight wickets.
HAMILTON (Web Desk) - Pakistan have lost by 84 runs after New Zealand set 293-run target for Pakistan in the second One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Faheem Ashraf (73) and Naseem Shah (51) were notable performers for Pakistan with the bat, while New Zealand's Ben Sears claimed a fifer.
Haris Rauf was subsituted out after being hit and was replaced by Naseem Shah, who went on to score his maiden ODI half-century.
Pakistan top and middle order rushed to the pavilion amid fierce swing bowling from New Zealand pace attack.
No Pakistan batter in top five was able to enter in the double figures. The initial 31 runs saw 12 extras while Pakistan batters, Abdullah Shafique (1), Imamul Haq (3), Babar Azam (1), Mohammad Rizwan (5), and Salman Agha (9) were the batsmen to fall.
Previously, Mitchell Hay's half centry helped New Zealand set 293-run target for Pakistan.
Hay’s unbeaten 99 runs, studded with seven 4s and seven 6s, guided New Zealand to reach 292 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Hay’s knock swung the momentum in New Zealand’s as they came out of the rut, recovered well and dominated towards the end, posting a competitive total.
After successfully bringing the innings to a halt in the middle overs, Pakistan dropped their guard, were shoddy at the death, and New Zealand ended the innings the way they started. Abbas and Bracewell soaked up the pressure and then Hay took over and played a blinder, ending up with his highest score in international cricket and accelerating tremendously towards the end.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first in the second One Day International (ODI) against New Zealand in Hamilton on Wednesday. Both teams were suffering from injury problems heading into the second ODI.
There were four changes for Pakistan. Imam Ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sufyan Muqeem, and Faheem Ashraf took over for Usman Khan, Mohammad Ali, Irfan Khan, and Naseem Shah.
There were two changes for New Zealand. Mark Chapman and Will Young are replaced by Ben Sears and the debutant Rhys Mariu.
New Zealand XI: Nick Kelly, Rhys Mariu, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell (cap), Muhammad Abbas, Mitchell Hay (wk), Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Will O'Rourke
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam Ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (cap & wk), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Haris Rauf, Sufyan Moqim, Akif Javed
