Pakistan's longest home season in a generation came to an end with the final ODI of the five-match series against New Zealand. It was a game that would determine whether the visitors could avoid a series whitewash and if Pakistan could hold onto their recently acquired number one ranking. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing end for Pakistan as they lost to New Zealand by 47 runs. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what happened in the match.
New Zealand batted first and scored 299 runs, with half-centuries by Will Young and Tom Latham setting up a challenging target for Pakistan. Despite a promising partnership between Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman, Pakistan struggled to chase the target and were bowled out for 252. Henry Shipley's spell of suffocating brilliance was the turning point of the match, which saw Pakistan lose their momentum and eventually the game.
In the first innings, New Zealand had a slow start with only 12 runs scored in the first five overs. Pakistan's opening bowlers, Adam Milne and Matt Henry, were parsimonious and didn't allow the Kiwi batters to score freely. Fakhar Zaman and Shan Masood, who opened the batting for Pakistan, also struggled for rhythm. Masood was dismissed in the eighth over after scoring only 7 runs off 20 balls.
The turning point of the match came when Latham handed the ball to Henry Shipley in the ninth over. Babar Azam, who had been in great form recently, lasted only five deliveries and was dismissed after playing a loose shot that was caught by backward point. Shipley continued to create problems for the Pakistani batters and eventually dismissed Fakhar Zaman and Mohammed Rizwan as well.
Despite Shipley's brilliance, Pakistan's middle-order batters, Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman, offered some resistance and kept the game alive. They both played aggressively and took the attack to New Zealand's bowling line-up. However, the lack of support from the other end meant that Pakistan couldn't maintain the required run rate and eventually lost the match.
In conclusion, Pakistan's dream of a series whitewash against New Zealand came to an end with their defeat in the final ODI. Despite a valiant effort by Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman, Pakistan's top-order batters failed to provide a solid start, which ultimately led to their downfall. Henry Shipley's spell of brilliant bowling was the highlight of the match and played a crucial role in New Zealand's victory.