NAPIER: – Pakistan have lost the first One Day International by 73 runs while trying to chase 345-run mammoth target set by New Zealand in Napier.
Usman Khan was the first one to fall after scoring 39, and was soon followed by Abdullah Shafique who scored 36.
Babar-Rizwan steadied the innings with 76-run partnership but Mohammad Rizwan fell on 30 on the last ball of 28th over.
Babar Azam, who scored 78 off 83, was yet again unable to end Pakistan’s innings on the winning side. Salman Ali Agha’s well fought 58 off 48 also ended in a losing cause as wickets kept tumbling on the other end.
Pakistan were 249 for three before Babar Azam’s collapse, and soon after adding 22 runs whole batting line had gone back to the pavilion.
Nathan Smith shone with the ball claiming four wickets, Jacob Duffy two, while Will O’Rourke, Micheal Bracewell and Mohammad Abbas sent one Pakistan batter to the pavilion each.
New Zealand set a mammoth 345-run target for Pakistan in the first One Day International against New Zealand in Napier on Saturday.
A superb hundred by Mark Chapman (132) and fifties by Daryl Mitchell (76) and Muhammad Abbas (52) guided New Zealand to 244 for the loss on nine wickets in their stipulated 50 over.