Bates, Curtis star in dominant NZ win

New Zealand 157 for 2 (Bates 64, Curtis 55*) beat Pakistan 156 (Nain Abidi 49, Asmavia 49*, Tahuhu 3-37) by eight wickets
Scorecard

Captain Suzie Bates made a 46-ball 64, and put on 100 quick runs for the first wicket with Sam Curtis (55*), as New Zealand women beat Pakistan women by eight wickets, with 27 overs to spare, in the first ODI in Lincoln.

Bates' decision to put Pakistan in was vindicated when the visitors were reduced to 27 for 3 in the ninth over. Nain Abidi (49) put on a 62 with Nida Dar (19) for the fourth wicket to begin a recovery, but Pakistan collapsed after Abidi's dismissal. They went from 89 for 3 to 90 for 6, with medium-pacer Lea Tahuhu (3-37) removing Abidi and Dar, while captain Sana Mir was caught and bowled to 16-year old debutant legspinner Amelia Kerr (1-21).

Allrounder Asmavia Iqbal scored an unbeaten 49, but was one of only three batsmen to reach double figures as Pakistan folded for 156 in 49 overs.

Bates and Curtis knocked 100 off the target in just 13.3 overs, before the New Zealand captain was caught behind off Sana Mir. Amy Satterthwaite fell four overs later. But the wickets only marginally slowed down New Zealand's scoring rate, as Curtis took them home with her first ODI fifty.

The second ODI in the five-match series will be played in the same venue on November 11.