NZ v Pak 3rd ODI Review: Hosts take the series with a narrow win

New Zealand beat Pakistan by three wickets and 2 balls to spare in third and final ODI match of three-match series, which was affected by rain, at Eden Park in Auckland. The home side thus won the three-match ODI series with 2-0 after second match was called off due to rain.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez shone for Pakistan after the skipper Azhar Ali won the toss. With the pair at the crease, Pakistan was set to threaten the Eden Park ODI innings record of 340, but with their departure the innings collapsed and they were unable to bat out their 50 overs. Pakistan, who needed to win to tie the series, was all out for 290 with 15 balls remaining with Babar contributing a career-best 83 and Hafeez 76.

The tourists were 20-2 in the sixth over when the pair embarked on a 134-run partnership for the third wicket, in which they lifted the run rate to 6.81 by the time Hafeez was dismissed with 27 overs remaining. Shoaib Malik joined Babar and the run rate continued to rise to 6.90, but when New Zealand’s leading strike bowlers Trent Boult and Matt Henry combined to remove Malik and Babar, Pakistan’s lack of depth was exposed. Their last six wickets fell for 63 runs.

Martin Guptill, who was in doubt on the eve of the match because of a twisted ankle, was instrumental in the first two wickets that fell. Fielding at short midwicket, he took a smart catch low down to give Boult the wicket of Ahmed Shehzad for 12. Two balls later, fielding at slip to Henry, he caught Azhar Ali for three and Pakistan was quickly two down after winning the toss and electing to bat. The wickets dried up as Babar and Hafeez wrested control away from the bowlers, forcing New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum into quick bowler rotation to try to unsettle the pair.

Hafeez eventually fell to Mitchell Santner, caught by Adam Milne at deep backward square leg, for 76 which included five fours and five sixes. It was a satisfying wicket for Santner in his third over after his first two cost 23 runs. Malik maintained the onslaught with Babar, adding a rapid 32 off 27 until he was caught behind to give Boult his second wicket. Babar, whose 83 off 77 contained 10 fours and a six, was removed two overs later when he slashed a Henry delivery to the safe hands of Guptill at point.

Mohammad Rizwan tried to keep the innings alive with 16 before he was unlucky to be run out off a straight drive, which deflected off bowler Grant Elliott’s hand and on to the stumps before he could regain his crease. For New Zealand, Milne took three for 49 while Boult and Henry finished with two apiece.

Muhammad Amir dismissed Brendon McCullum for a duck in his first over. New Zealand was boosted by some excellent batting from Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill, who put on a record stand of 159 runs for the second wicket. Guptill was dismissed for 82 and New Zealand lost a few more wickets, including that of Williamson for 84. It was Azhar Ali, who picked up wickets of Guptill and Williamson.

But it was Mohammad Aamer, who was bowling exceedingly well. After dismissing McCullum, he came back for his next spell and dismissed Henry Nicholls, who was the match-winner in the first match, was out for just five. Grant Elliott was scalped by Shoaib Malik and rain interrupted play soon after that. There was a half hour break after which the target was revised to 263 from 43 overs. They got there without much trouble but they were lucky to do so as Corey Anderson survived after being caught behind. The ball had clearly taken an outside edge but umpire Billy Bowden gave it not out.

Anderson hit a couple of big blows after that and put New Zealand in a commanding position. Luke Ronchi too did a fine job at the other end but he was cleaned up by Wahab Riaz when New Zealand needed 10 off 13 deliveries. Anderson too fell in the penultimate over with New Zealand just seven runs away from a win.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan: 290/10 in 47.3 overs (B Azam 83; A Milne 3/49)

New Zealand 265/7 42.4 overs (M Guptill 82, K Williamson 84; M Amir 2/39)

Man of the Match: Martin Guptill (New Zealand)