Khushdil Shah Absent as Pakistan Falls to NZ
Tayyab Tahir was the only Pakistani batter to score at a strike rate greater than 100, finishing with 38 off 33, but his efforts were not enough to change the course of the game. The defeat will be a setback for Pakistan, who will look to bounce back from this loss.
Pakistan's batting lineup struggled as they were bowled out for 242 runs in the final of the tri-nation ODI series against New Zealand at National Bank Stadium on Friday, with Will O'Rourke taking 4 wickets for the Kiwis.
The Pakistani team, led by captain Mohammad Rizwan, found it difficult to build momentum as New Zealand's bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals. Rizwan himself scored 46 runs from 76 balls, while Salman Ali Agha contributed 45 runs. However, their efforts were not enough to take Pakistan to a competitive total.
The New Zealand seam attack, led by William O'Rourke, and their fingerspinners, led by Mitchell Santner, proved too strong for the Pakistani batsmen. O'Rourke ended with impressive figures of 4-43, while Santner's 10-1-20-2 was his most economical ten-over spell in ODI cricket. The final wicket was taken by O'Rourke, dismissing Naseem Shah.
Despite missing key players due to injuries, including Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, and Ben Sears, New Zealand's bowling unit showed great depth and resilience to restrict Pakistan to a below-par total. The loss highlights the need for Pakistan to regroup and reassess their strategy ahead of future matches.
