Black Caps seal ODI series win
Series over.
The Black Caps trounced Pakistan by 183 runs in Dunedin on Saturday to seal the five-match ODI series with two games to play.
Defending 257 at the University Oval, Trent Boult snared 5-17 as New Zealand skittled the tourists for a measly 74 in 27.2 overs.
It marked New Zealand’s 10th consecutive win (across all formats), equalling the mark they’d previously achieved twice, and continued their unbeaten record at the ground.
Zimbabwe’s record for the lowest-ever ODI score – 35 v Sri Lanka in 2004 – was under serious threat when Colin Munro bowled Shadab Khan to leave the visitors 16-6 within 15 overs, as was Pakistan’s lowest score of 43 (against the West Indies in 1993).
While they avoided the complete embarrassment of breaking the unwanted records, you’ll be hard pressed to find Pakistan players or fans smiling in the wake of the humiliating defeat.
With the West Indies already dispatched in all three formats this summer, and Pakistan on the ropes two games into the series, many NZ fans were crying out for a contest before the looming triseries in Australia and the home series against England.
It looked on the cards when the Black Caps, who elected to bat first, butchered a solid launching platform by losing their last seven wickets for 62 runs, only for Boult to reduce Pakistan to 2-3 inside four overs.
With Ross Taylor taking three sharp catches at first slip – Azhar Ali (0), Mohammad Hafeez (0) and Shoaib Malik (3) – it was as good as game over.
Having eked out 9-3 in 10 overs, they quickly slumped to 15-5 four overs later after Babar Azam was run out by a sharp Mitchell Santner throw, and right-arm quick Lockie Ferguson edged out Malik.
Part-timer Munro even chipped in with two wickets. He can thank captain Kane Williamson for his second, after he snaffled a one- handed screamer at mid-wicket to dismiss Hasan Ali.
It wasn’t the only one-handed catch which got the crowd on its feet. With just the fifth ball of the match, Dunedin builder Craig Dougherty nabbed one in the crowd to pocket $50,000 courtesy of a Tui promotion.
While it didn’t come back to haunt them, the Black Caps might look back at their final 10 overs with the bat and shake their heads.
Williamson (73), Taylor (52) and Martin Guptill (45) set a fine launching platform on a slow and low wicket, as the home side appeared poised to set a big total at 195-3 after 40 overs.
But the Black Caps, bowled out with the final ball of their innings, could only muster 62 more runs at the windy University Oval.
The home side will no doubt acknowledge Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Rumman Raees’ 3-51, bowled smartly, but some of the batsmen won’t be in a rush to watch replays of their dismissals.
All-rounder Todd Astle will probably top the list, having meekly lobbed a slower delivery from Raees to Fakhar Zaman at mid-wicket.
It was Pakistan spinner Khan who started the rot, taking two wickets in as many balls, including a brilliant, one-handed caught and bowled to dismiss Henry Nicholls for a golden duck.