Zimbabwe V New Zealand 2nd ODI Review: New Zealand openers overcome Raza's brilliance to make it 1-1

Zimbabwe V New Zealand 2nd ODI Review: New Zealand openers overcome Raza’s brilliance to make it 1-1: After the win in the 1st ODI on Sunday, the hosts looked confident against the New Zealand team going into this encounter. But, the decision of batting first backfired for Zimbabwe, as the visitors, New Zealand, took early wickets and got Zimbabwe reduced to 68 for 5 before Raza came to the middle and played a saving knock for his team. Raza made his 3^rd ODI century and ensured Zimbabwe played their quota of 50 overs to reach a fighting total of 235-9 on a tricky wicket. Raza was fortunate, as he was dropped twice, on 16 and on 67. He made 33 runs of the last 19-balls, which included two huge sixes.

The sixth wicket partnership of 60 runs between Raza and Sean Williams stabilized the Zimbabwe side. The New Zealand bowlers seemed annoyed with the ninth wicket partnership of 89 runs between Raza and Tinashe Panyangara. With Panyangara supporting the savior Raza, the last five overs produced 49 runs for the Zimbabwe team. The hosts who have been chasing totals in the last few matches, opted to bat first after winning the toss as the pitch was different from the first ODI. Mitchell McClenaghan extracted variable bounce, as he troubled the top order. Hamilton Masakadza got out for a duck trying to cope with his bouncer. Henry moved the ball and started with 2 maiden overs. Grant Elliot who replaced Henry was rather expensive as he went on to concede 2 boundaries, but soon found the right delivery getting the wicket of in form of Ervine in his fourth over.

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The pitch seemed conducive for spin, as Sodhi struck in his second over and Regis Chakabva became his first ODI wicket. He struck again in his 18^th over, a leg break that got Chibhabha’s wicket, reducing Zimbabwe to 68/5, with no hopes in sight. Zimbabwe’s innings seemed like ending at any point as Sodhi again got a wicket in the 36^th over when Greame Cremer was caught at second slip and ten balls after this Nathan McCullum was successful in foxing Prosper Utseya. Raza inning’s was the only counter attack Zimbabwe had. Panyangara played slow, in singles giving the strike to Raza, and in the process made his highest ODI score of 33 runs.

The New Zealand innings looked quite dominating as they did not lose any early wickets. The innings went on very smoothly and all the tactics from the hosts went into vain and so did Raza’s ton. The openers of New Zealand Tom Latham and Martin Guptill did not want to give away the game this time. Both the opening batsmen went on to score unbeaten tons. Tom Latham scored 110 off 116 deliveries and Guptill played a knock of 116 from 138 balls. The game ended with an easy run chase for the Blackcaps who won the match by a huge margin of 10 wickets, as the Zimbabwe bowlers got no wickets in the 42.2 overs. Both Guptill and Latham became the joint winner of the ‘Man of the Match’ award for their commendable innings.

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Brief Scores:

Zimbabwe: 235/9 50.0 overs (Raza 100, Chibhabha 42, Sodhi- 3/38, Elliot-2/27)

New Zealand: 236/0 42.2 overs (Guptill-116, Latham-110,  Mpofu 0-37)

Man of the Match: Martin Guptill and Tom Latham (Joint Winners)