Pakistan’s Top Order Collapses with Seven Dismissals Against New Zealand

Karachi-In the recent match, Saud Shakeel scored 6 runs off 19 balls, without hitting any boundaries or sixes, and was dismissed by Will O’Rourke, caught by Matt Henry. Babar Azam, the team’s top scorer, made 64 runs off 90 balls, with 6 fours and 1 six, but was caught by Kane Williamson off Mitchell Santner’s bowling. Mohammad Rizwan, the captain and wicketkeeper, managed only 3 runs off 14 balls and was dismissed by Will O’Rourke, caught by Glenn Phillips. Fakhar Zaman scored 24 runs off 41 balls, hitting 4 fours, but was bowled out by Michael Bracewell. Salman Agha made a useful 42 runs off 28 balls, including 6 fours and 1 six, before being caught off Nathan Smith’s bowling. Tayyab Tahir struggled, scoring just 1 run off 5 balls, and was caught by Kane Williamson off Mitchell Santner’s delivery. Khushdil Shah contributed 45 runs off 36 balls, hitting 5 fours and 1 six, showing good batting form. Shaheen Afridi also played a brief knock, scoring 14 runs off 13 balls, with 1 six, before being caught by Tom Latham off Matt Henry’s bowling.

Earlier, Pakistan opted to bowl first after winning the toss. New Zealand struggled early, losing three wickets for 73 runs, but a 118-run stand for the fourth wicket steadied their innings.

Latham and Phillips further strengthened the total with a 125-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Centuries from Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118) powered New Zealand to 320/5, while Glenn Phillips contributed a quickfire 61.

For Pakistan, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf claimed two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed took one.

Pakistan made one change from their last playing XI in the tri-nation series final, bringing in Haris Rauf for Faheem Ashraf.

New Zealand also made a change, with Matt Henry replacing Jacob Duffy in the lineup, as confirmed by Mitchell Santner.

Put into bat first, the Blackcaps registered 320/5 on the board in their allotted 50 overs, thanks to a match-defining fourth-wicket partnership between Young and Latham.

The visitors, however, got off to a shaky start to their innings as mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed inflicted an early blow by castling Devon Conway (10) on the third delivery of the eighth over.

New Zealand suffered two more blows in quick succession as pacers Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf picked up the key wickets of Kane Williamson (one) and Daryl Mitchell (10), bringing the total down to 73/3 in 16.2 overs.

Following the slump, wicketkeeper batter Latham, who scored a match-winning half-century in the tri-nation ODI series final last week, joined set batter Young in the middle.

The duo partnered strongly to put New Zealand in a commanding position by adding 118 runs for the fourth wicket.

Naseem eventually broke the threatening partnership in the 38th over by getting rid of centurion Young, who scored 107 off 113 deliveries, studded with 12 fours and a six.

Latham, on the other hand, stood his ground firm and carried his bat all the way through with an unbeaten century.

He remained the top-scorer for New Zealand with an unbeaten 118 off 104 deliveries with 10 fours and three sixes.

He was supported by in-form Glenn Phillips, who smashed a quickfire half-century to push New Zealand to amass the 320-run mark.

Phillips made 61 from 39 deliveries, laced with three fours and four sixes.

For Pakistan, Naseem and Rauf picked up two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed chipped in with one dismissal.

President Asif Ali Zardari and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari are also attending the opening match as the chief guests.

The event also featured an aerial display by the Pakistan Air Force’s Sherdil Squadron.