Pakistan has already confirmed the series by winning four consecutive matches. The opportunity was to give New Zealand a taste of whitewash. However, in the fifth and final match of the series, the visitors were saved from the disaster by defeating Pakistan by 47 runs. The Kiwis were bowled out for 299 at the start. In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 252 runs.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and decided to bat at the start of the match. Opener Tom Blundell returned to bat with 15 runs off 22 balls. Henry Nicholls scored 23 runs for the second wicket.
The third wicket partnership between Tom Latham and Will Young continued to dominate the Pakistani bowlers. Both completed personal half-centuries. Young got out after scoring 87 runs off 91 balls. And Latham stopped at 59 runs. Apart from that, Chapman scored 43, McConney scored 26 and Rachine scored 28.
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi took maximum three wickets for Pakistan. Besides, Shadab Khan and Osama Mir took two wickets each. Harris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim got another wicket each.
Pakistan did not get off to a good start in response. They were under pressure after losing 4 wickets for 66 runs. Shan Masood 7, captain Babar Azam 1, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan 9 and Fakhar Zaman scored 33 runs. Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman put Pakistan back in the fight by making a pair of 97 runs off 95 balls for the fourth wicket.
Pacer Henry Shipley gave New Zealand a break-through after hunting Salman, who scored 57 runs in 57 balls with 6 fours and 1 six.
Iftikhar could not form a big pair with the batsmen in the next over after Salman’s departure for the team’s 163 runs. He remained unbeaten with 94 runs off 72 balls. Shadab scored 14 and Mir scored 20.
(08 May/MM)