Pakistan will take on New Zealand at the Karachi National Stadium on Friday for the fourth ODI in the five-match series.
After sharing the loot in the shortest format of the game, the two behemoths locked horns in the 50-over format. It marked a historical moment for the Men in Green as they joined India and Australia to have managed 500 wins in ODIs.
Despite being put against a solid-looking Kiwi side, Pakistan won the first three games rather comfortably, insinuating that the remaining two games will be dead-rubber contests.
As for the side led by Tom Latham, fans have seen glimpses of seamless performances, however, not enough to compete with Pakistan’s juggernaut. With the series’ result wrapped up, the Kiwis will be hoping to return to former glory in the subsequent games.
What have they done so far?
In the opening ODI of the 5-match series, Pakistan walked through New Zealand’s total of 288 runs. Daryl Mitchell, the top-order batsman, put out an admirable effort with a score of 113 runs, and he found a partner in Will Young, who pounded out 86 runs off 78 balls.
Pakistani bowlers were absolutely lethal towards the end. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf applied brakes to the Kiwi innings right when it looked like they’d hammer over 300 runs.
Babar Azam’s men looked in sublime touch with the bat as well. After adding 117 and 60 runs to the total, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq helped Pakistan win the match in 48.3 overs. Mohammad Rizwan also displayed a robust performance, scoring 42 runs and remaining unbeaten all the way to seal the deal for his team.
Mitchell looked in brilliant touch in the second ODI as well and scored 129 runs. His efforts were supplemented with a splendid performance by Tom Latham and Chad Bowes, who scored 51 runs and 98 runs respectively, allowing the Black Caps to score 336 runs.
Mitchell scored two centuries in the first two ODIs shaking off his T20I form
The total, though, was insufficient in light of Pakistan’s stellar batting lineup. The Men in Green cruised to victory in just 48.2 overs, thanks to a breathtaking knock of 180 runs by Fakhar Zaman. Skipper Babar Azam also contributed with 65 runs, helping Pakistan take a 2-0 lead.
New Zealand lost for the third time in a row after being bowled out for 261 in the third ODI in an attempt to chase down 288. Will Young and Tom Blundell put on an outstanding 82-run partnership to thwart the Men in Green, but Young’s run-out opened the floodgates for Pakistan. Imam ul Haq (90) and Babar Azam (52) earlier on in the innings both produced half-centuries as Pakistan put 287 on the board in 50 overs. After Fakhar Zaman was lost early, Imam and Babar combined for an outstanding century partnership to give the hosts a commanding lead.
Matt Henry was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis and bagged three wickets, while Adam Milne claimed two scalps. The Black Caps started off the chase in an extraordinary fashion. However, Pakistan’s bowling death bowling proved to be unplayable as Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim managed two wickets each, allowing Pakistan to take an unassailable lead in the series.
Head to Head record
Pakistan has bragging rights against New Zealand in the longer format of the game. The behemoths have locked horns 113 times. The Men in Green have won 59 games, while the Blackcaps have managed 50 wins and a lone match ended in a tie.
Key Players
Zaman is the leading run scorer in the series
Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan): The Pakistani opener has barely made a mistake in the last three games, despite failing to score in the previous ODI. Zaman won the Player of the Match award in the first two ODIs and is currently the leading run scorer in the bilateral series scoring 117 runs in the first ODI and 180 in the second.
Getting his scalp will prove to be an uphill task for the Kiwi bowlers who have more or less struggled against him.
Daryl Mitchell: Both centurions from the first two games fell cheaply in the third ODI. However, Mitchell has been in great touch of late following a rather lean patch over the last few months. In the first game after his return, Mitchell scored 113 runs, and in the second, he scored 129 runs in a flash.
The Kiwi batter has proved his worth scoring tons of runs around the world and would be hoping to help his side avoid a whitewash in the longer limited-overs format.
Predicted XIs
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam ©, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah
New Zealand: Will Young, Tom Blundell (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham ©, Mark Chapman, Henry Nicholls, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry
Prediction
Following a thumping win in the first three ODIs, Pakistan will be hoping for a whitewash against a team that they have played against the most in the recent past.
Despite being down and under, the Kiwi cricketers are known for their charisma and fighting spirit, reiterating that despite winning the series, Pakistan might find it difficult to win the remaining games.