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Pakistan vs New Zealand, 1st ODI at Rawalpindi, PAK v NZ, Apr 27 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st ODI (D/N), Rawalpindi, April 27, 2023, New Zealand tour of Pakistan
(48.3/50 ov, T:289) 291/5

Pakistan won by 5 wickets (with 9 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
117 (114)
fakhar-zaman
New
PAK
Full commentary

Until the next one, this is Rvel Zahid waving goodbye on behalf of Shashwat Kumar and our scoring gurus Binoy George and Chandan Duorah. Adios!

Babar Azam: This was a team effort, we wanted to start well. The credit belongs to the fast bowlers for the way we restricted them in the end. It feels good to see players execute their plans. The way Naseem bowled put pressure on them and then the spinners dominated. The way Fakhar and Imam played, then the innings Fakhar and I built together was great.

Tom Latham: I think the score we got was about par. The position we were in, Daryl played a superb innings. The wicket got harder for new guys, but the way Pakistan played was superb. We couldn't make any inroads. It got harder in the end but the two partnerships up top from Pakistan made the difference. I guess a few more wickets could have made it different because it wasn't easy to start.

Fakhar Zaman, Player of the Match: The plan was to attack and stay long. If you survive the new ball at (Rawalpindi) you must stay (till the end). It's a very good start, the first three needs to go till 40 overs. Today was my day and hopefully, Imam and Babar will also play big knocks.

Rizwan looks to the heavens with that shot of authority over midwicket as Pakistan draws first blood in the five-match ODI series and this is also Pakistan's 500th ODI win! Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman forged a crucial partnership that set the platform for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Pakistan did make it difficult for themselves by slowing down in the middle overs and even without some of the mainstays, New Zealand did pretty well and should give themselves a pat on the back for their bowling performance as they created some panic towards the end and took the game deep. The pitch had been baking under the sun and was pretty docile. There was barely any swing for the bowlers but spinners got some assistance. Pakistan have got a few ODIs before the showpiece event to address the outstanding issues; the chase got derailed when Babar Azam nicked one through to the keeper and the floodgates were opened. Shan Masood played a confusing knock and struggled to get going which raises questions on his role in the team. In the end, Mohammad Rizwan made sure they don't make a mess of the game and some timely blows took all hope away from the Tom Latham-led side.

sam: "I think I can breathe without choking on incoming breaths now? God the past few minutes have been bad for my asthma.."

48.3
4
Ravindra to Rizwan, FOUR runs

Seals the game with a full-blooded smack over midwicket, gets down on one knee and sends it sailing into the leg side

48.2
Ravindra to Rizwan, no run

Flatter around middle from round the wicket, Rizwan blocks it while lunging forward

48.1
1
Ravindra to Nawaz, 1 run

Lobbed up on a full length outside off, punched down to long-on

end of over 488 runs
PAK: 286/5CRR: 5.95 RRR: 1.50 • Need 3 runs from 12b
Mohammad Nawaz7 (9b 1x4)
Mohammad Rizwan38 (32b 5x4 1x6)
Blair Tickner 9-0-52-1
Matt Henry 10-0-45-0
47.6
1
Tickner to Nawaz, 1 run

Shorter and on the pads, whipped away to square leg, doesn't get hold of it properly

47.5
2
Tickner to Nawaz, 2 runs

Looking for a glory hit, heaves it over mid-off again and it holds up in the surface, just a boundary away from a win

47.4
4
Tickner to Nawaz, FOUR runs

Round the wicket, a bit short and outside off, he takes a few steps out of his crease and lofts it over mid-off for a boundary, ball wins the race as Milne tumbles over the boundary while trying to flick the ball inside the rope

47.3
1
Tickner to Rizwan, 1 run

Shorter, just outside off, punches it down to the left of long-on and dashes across to the other end

47.2
Tickner to Rizwan, no run

Short of a length, wide of off, cracks a pull but can't get it past the man stationed at short midwicket.

47.1
Tickner to Rizwan, no run

Good length, nibbling away in the channel, squirts it away to third man

end of over 475 runs
PAK: 278/5CRR: 5.91 RRR: 3.66 • Need 11 runs from 18b
Mohammad Nawaz0 (6b)
Mohammad Rizwan37 (29b 5x4 1x6)
Matt Henry 10-0-45-0
Blair Tickner 8-0-44-1
46.6
Henry to Nawaz, no run

Goodness me! That missed hitting the off stump by a whisker, slower and kept very low, nothing Nawaz could do about it

46.5
Henry to Nawaz, no run

Round the wicket, angled in and straightening down the line outside off, crunched away to cover, didn't get the timing he was searching for

46.4
1
Henry to Rizwan, 1 run

Pulls it away to fine leg and is running like hare for a single

46.3
Henry to Rizwan, no run

Flicks it away into the empty spaces at the leg side

46.2
4
Henry to Rizwan, FOUR runs

Dances down the track and absolutely leathers it over the bowler's head for a four

46.1
Henry to Rizwan, no run

Length ball, angled into the pads, whipped away to square leg. New Zealand are fighting it tooth and nail

end of over 464 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 273/5CRR: 5.93 RRR: 4.00 • Need 16 runs from 24b
Mohammad Nawaz0 (4b)
Mohammad Rizwan32 (25b 4x4 1x6)
Blair Tickner 8-0-44-1
Rachin Ravindra 7-0-48-1
45.6
Tickner to Nawaz, no run

Shorter, outside off, slaps a cut shot to point. A terrific over from Tickner

45.5
Tickner to Nawaz, no run

Shortens his length, keeps it in the corridor, bunts it away to mid-off

45.4
Tickner to Nawaz, no run

Round the wicket, dug in short around the line off, plays it uppishly to point who came in quickly to deny a single

45.3
Tickner to Nawaz, no run

Driven on the rise to cover, quickly gets rid of the ball, fielding has been superb from New Zealand

45.2
W
Tickner to Salman, OUT

Wafting and edging! Fraction short and in the channel, he goes for the cut, gets a thick outside edge and it nestles into Latham's glove as Agha takes the long walk back into the pavilion, he was trying to whack it across the line and is disappointed by his effort

Agha Salman c †Latham b Tickner 7 (10b 1x4 0x6 12m) SR: 70
Language
English
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