New Zealand set Pakistan 331-Run target in Tri-Nation ODI opener

LAHORE – New Zealand handed down 331 target to Pakistan in their opening match in the three-nation tournament in Lahore. After a rough start with Will Young’s early dismissal, Kane Williamson (58) and Daryl Mitchell (81) steadied the innings. Williamson was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi, while Mitchell was caught off Abrar Ahmed.

New Zealand faced a challenging task against Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi, who took three key wickets. After early blows, Daryl Mitchell contributed 81 runs, but Tom Latham failed to get off the mark, dismissed for a duck.

Glenn Phillips provided a strong resistance, scoring an unbeaten 106 runs off 74 balls, featuring six fours and seven sixes. Michael Bracewell (31) and Mitchell Santner (8) supported, but the team’s total still faced pressure. Afridi’s brilliant spell and Abrar Ahmed’s support helped Pakistan bowl New Zealand out, though Phillips’ resilience gave the Kiwis a competitive score.

New Zealand on Saturday won toss and opted to bat first in the opening match of the four-match tri-nation series against Pakistan at the newly-renovated Gaddafi Stadium.

Men in Green, hosting both New Zealand and South Africa in the series, will be looking to build on their recent positive performances. After a challenging period, Pakistan has seen an uptick in their cricketing fortunes, with standout victories, including a historic 2-1 series win in Australia in November—their first series win in Australia in over two decades.

With an impressive home whitewash against South Africa in December, Pakistan hopes to maintain its winning momentum and deliver another strong performance in this tri-nation competition.

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Fans are eagerly awaiting the clash as both teams look to make a strong start in the series. Rizwan led squad leads New Zealand in their 116 ODI encounters, with three matches having no result and one ending in a tie. This record adds to the anticipation as the two teams prepare to clash in the upcoming series.

Pakistan vs New Zealand Squad

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Sufiyan Muqeem.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Will Young, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy

Tri-series schedule