PAK vs NZ: Fakhar Zaman smashes unbeaten 180 as Pakistan beat New Zealand by 7 wickets in Rawalpindi

By Rounaq Sehrawat: Fakhar Zaman smashed a powerful unbeaten century to info Pakistan to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in Rawalpindi. With this win, Pakistan took a 2-0 lead throughout the five-match one-day worldwide sequence at dwelling.

Babar Azam acquired the toss for his side and opted to self-discipline first. The hosts started the first innings successfully with pacer Haris Rauf eliminating Kiwi opener Will Young throughout the sixth over. Fellow opening batter Chad Bowes then formed an essential 86-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell to settle New Zealand’s innings, sooner than being caught LBW by Rauf. Bowes scored 51 runs off as many deliveries, whereas smashing seven boundaries.

Mitchell then stitched an infinite 183-run stand with Tom Latham and even went on to complete his second century in ODI cricket. Mitchell scored 129 runs off 119 balls, hitting eight boundaries and three maximums, sooner than being dismissed by pacer Naseem Shah.

Latham shortly adopted Mitchell once more into the dugout, after missing out on a well-deserved hundred. Latham scored 98 runs off 85 deliveries and have change into Rauf’s third wicket of the day. The right-arm pacer then despatched Mark Chapman packing as New Zealand accomplished with 336 for 5 on the scoreboard after 50 overs. Rauf was the select of the Pakistani bowlers, claiming 4 wickets whereas giving away 78 runs in 10 over.

Zaman lights up Rawalpindi

In the second innings, Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq started off in constructive vogue and formed a 66-run stand for the opening wicket, sooner than Matt Henry dismissed Imam throughout the tenth over. Then, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam stitched an essential 132-run partnership with Zaman, which observed every batters full their respective half-centuries.

However, Ish Sodhi provided the important breakthrough for his side, eliminating Babar throughout the thirtieth over. Babar scored 65 runs off 66 balls, hitting 5 boundaries and a solitary six. Abdullah Shafique obtained right here and went with out shifting the scoreboard quite a bit as Henry Shipley claimed his solely wicket of the night time.

However, Zaman saved on scoring at a constructive run-rate and formed one different important partnership, this time with wicket-keeping batter Mohammad Rizwan. The two batters caught spherical for an unbeaten 119-run stand which drove Pakistan over the street in Rawalpindi.

Zaman remained unbeaten on 180 and missed out on his second double century throughout the 50-over format. He hit 17 boundaries and 6 maximums throughout the 144 balls that he confronted. Meanwhile, Rizwan remained unbeaten on 54 runs off 41 balls, hitting six boundaries on one of the best ways.

With this win, Pakistan took a 2-0 lead throughout the five-match ODI sequence, with the third match set to carried out on the National Stadium in Karachi on May 3.