Cricholic
ODI New Zealand sealed the series with an 84-run victory over Pakistan in the second ODI at Hamilton. Mitch Hay played a career-best knock of 99* off 78, while the bowlers dominated. Despite strong efforts from Faheem Ashraf (73 off 80) and Naseem Shah (51* off 44), Pakistan ultimately fell short, finishing at 208.
Mitch Hay’s ODI Masterclass Lifts New Zealand to 292/7
In ODI Pakistan chose to field first under overcast conditions at Seddon Park. The pitch offered movement to the bowlers, and New Zealand took full advantage. They raced to 50 in six overs despite the challenging conditions. Nick Kelly and debutant Rhys Mariu gave a solid start. However, Haris Rauf dismissed Kelly for 24, and Mohammad Wasim Jr took Mariu’s wicket for 17.
At this point, Pakistan tightened their grip. Sufiyan Muqeem (2-33) bowled a tight spell through the middle overs. New Zealand’s innings stalled, and they found themselves at 132/5. However, Hay steadied the ship. He partnered with captain Muhammad Abbas (41 off 66), adding 77 crucial runs. After Abbas fell, Hay took full control of the innings, ensuring New Zealand batted through all 50 overs. In the final over, Hay blasted Wasim Jr for 22 runs, lifting the total to 292/7. He finished just one run short of a century, but his knock was pivotal.
New Zealand’s Pacers Shatter Pakistan’s Batting
Chasing a target of 293, Pakistan’s top order collapsed quickly. Ben Sears (5-59), Jacob Duffy (3-35), and Will O’Rourke exploited the conditions to perfection. The pitch offered significant seam movement, and Pakistan’s batters struggled. They found themselves at 32/5, and the match seemed all but decided.
Despite this, Pakistan fought back. Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah added 60 runs for the ninth wicket. Ashraf top-scored with 73 runs, while Naseem’s 51* off 44 balls kept the fight alive. However, the damage had been done early. New Zealand’s pacers had already caused enough trouble, and Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 208 in 41.2 overs.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 292/7 in 50 overs (Mitch Hay 99*, Muhammad Abbas 41; Sufiyan Muqeem 2-33)
Pakistan: 208 in 41.2 overs (Faheem Ashraf 73, Naseem Shah 51*; Ben Sears 5-59)
Result: New Zealand won by 84 runs.
