New Zealand make Pakistan pay for missed chances to claim tri-series title

On a breezy Friday evening at the National Bank Stadium, Naseem was steaming in on each delivery and extending his follow through nearer to the batter each time with the tri-nations series final between Pakistan and New Zealand firmly in the balance.

The hosts, who had come into the match on the back of their highest-ever chase in history, had batted first this time but had only 242 runs to defend, albeit on a less batting friendly wicket. After Conway’s dismissal for a 74-ball 48, New Zealand needed 130 runs to win in 25 overs.

Pakistan had hope. But a range of blunders — two dropped catches and a missed review — turned the game completely in New Zealand’s favour, before they sealed the tri-nation series title with a comprehensive five-wicket win.

While the result reinforced New Zealand as favourites for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, it raised questions over Pakistan’s preparedness for the eight-team tournament that starts with the fixture between the very two sides at the same venue in five days’ time.

To start with Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan turned down Abrar Ahmed’s request to go for a review after he had hit Tom Latham on his pads in the 31s over, with replays later showing it would have been out.

Latham was let off the hook once again when Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped a straightforward catch in his follow-through. The left-hander was handed yet another reprieve when he was dropped by Saud Shakeel off Abrar as Pakistan’s hopes as well as the crowd’s cheers faded.

While luck favoured Latham, it wasn’t the same for his partner Daryl Mitchell, who had scored 57 off 58, as the right-hander fell prey to Abrar’s one-handed catch off his own bowling in the 39th over.

But by that point, with 48 needed off 66, all New Zealand needed was a finishing job. Although Latham (56 off 64) didn’t stay until the end, and it was executed with ease, thanks to Glenn Phillips’ unbeaten 20 off 17.

Pakistan elected to bat on a sunny afternoon and once again had to rely on Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha as the top-order and lower middle-order struggled against a disciplined New Zealand bowling attack.

Pacer Will O’Rourke was the standout bowler for his side with 4-43 while New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner’s cast a web of spin around the Pakistan batters to finish with figures of 2-20 in his 10 overs.

Pakistan suffered an early setback when O’Rourke dismissed Fakhar Zaman in the fourth over, caught by Will Young at square leg.

In the next over, Jacob Duffy’s no-ball gave Babar a chance to break the shackles, and he responded with a pulled six over midwicket.

Two overs later, a signature cover drive off Duffy took Babar to 6000 ODI runs, making him the joint-fastest to the milestone (123 innings) alongside Hashim Amla.

Just as Babar seemed to be settling in, he gave his wicket away, driving straight to Nathan Smith in the 12th over. Saud fell when a quicker off-break from Michael Bracewell skidded low and crashed into his stumps.

Rizwan and Salman steadied the inn­ings, reaching 78-3 by the 20th over. Rizwan got going with a pull shot off Smith, while Salman took 15 balls to get his first boundary, lofting Phillips over covers.

The pair accelerated three overs later, with Rizwan driving Phillips for four before Salman launched him for six over long-off. Another boundary from Rizwan brought up the 50-run partnership as Pakistan crossed 100.

The stand ended in the 32nd over when Rizwan dragged O’Rourke onto his stumps for 46 off 76 (four fours, one six). Salman followed soon after, caught at short third-man off Bracewell for 45 off 65 (one four, one six).

With Pakistan 161-5 at Salman’s dismissal in the 37th over, Tayyab Tahir injected urgency, hitting Duffy for a straight six and a scoop for four in the 40th over.

He continued the attack against Bracewell but perished for 38 off 33, pulling Duffy to Kane Williamson at short midwicket in the 42nd.

Khushdil Shah and Shaheen fell cheaply, leaving Pakistan at 202-8, with a 39-run stand between Faheem Ashraf (22 off 21) and Naseem (19 off 17) giving them some hope.

Despite losing Will Young early to Naseem, New Zealand got to 45-1 by the end of the first 10 overs, with first drop Kane Williamson ensuring the innings stayed stable.

After announcing his arrival with a pull for six off medium pacer Faheem, Williamson brought up his fifty partnership with opener Conway as he charged down to hit off-spinner Salman Ali Agha over mid-off for four in the 14th over.

Conway followed that up with two more boundaries, but when the pair had started looking dangerous, Salman struck.

The spinner lured Williamson (34 off 39, three fours and a six) with his flight to charge again, but this time only to be bowled through the gate in the 18th over.

Naseem then got Conway and Pakistan looked to have gained a foothold in the game, only to let it slip away.