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Pakistan concluded their troubled tour of New Zealand with yet another defeat, as the hosts secured a 43-run victory in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) on Saturday, thereby completing a 3–0 series sweep.
Chasing a revised target of 265 in a rain-affected 42-overs-per-side contest, Pakistan were bowled out for 221 despite a promising start. New Zealand pacer Ben Sears delivered a match-winning performance with figures of 5-34 — his second five-wicket haul in as many matches.
The chase began on a worrying note for Pakistan when opener Imam-ul-Haq sustained a head injury in the third over.
Attempting a quick single, Imam was struck by a direct throw at the non-striker’s end, with the ball lodging itself in the grill of his helmet. Dazed and unsteady, he was assisted off the field and did not return to bat.
In spite of the early setback, captain Babar Azam anchored the innings with a fluent half-century. He found support from Abdullah Shafique, who contributed 33, and Mohammad Rizwan, who added 37, pushing Pakistan to 95-1 at the halfway stage.
At the 32-over mark, Pakistan stood at 167-4, neck-and-neck with New Zealand, who had reached 165-4 at the same stage. However, the home side had finished their innings with a late surge, adding 99 runs in the final 10 overs — a burst that Pakistan could not replicate.
Tayyab Tahir’s brisk 33 off 31 balls kept Pakistan’s hopes alive, but his dismissal in the 39th over with the score at 218-9 all but ended the contest.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan had opted to field first.
New Zealand’s innings was underpinned by half-centuries from Rhys Mariu and Michael Bracewell, while Daryl Mitchell surpassed the milestone of 2,000 ODI runs.
Mariu, playing only his second ODI, impressed with a composed 58 off 61 deliveries. Bracewell provided a strong finish with a 40-ball 59. Mitchell, who came into the game two runs short of the 2,000-run mark, ended with a total of 2,041 from 52 matches at an average of 49.7 — a significant milestone for the in-form all-rounder.
The loss capped off a dismal tour for Pakistan, who were seeking redemption following an underwhelming campaign at the Champions Trophy on home soil. Their aspirations of resetting ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup took a hit, with a 4-1 loss in the T20I series followed by a clean sweep in the ODIs.
Reflecting on the defeat, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan admitted the team fell short but tried to focus on individual positives.
“Obviously it was a disappointing series for us,” he said. “But if you look at the positives, Babar Azam is in very good touch. Looking at the bowling, Sufiyan Muqeem was the guy.
“You have to give credit to New Zealand in all departments. They played very well for the last couple of months. They played well in Pakistan against us and they are true professionals.”
The series showcased New Zealand’s dominance across formats, while Pakistan were left to regroup and rethink their strategies before heading into a crucial T20 World Cup year.
