Phillips and New Zealand spinners rule the roost as Pakistan wilt

LAHORE: A packed-to-capacity crowd at the newly constructed Gaddafi Stadium warmly welcomed the Pakistan team for the very first game here on Saturday.

Having recorded ODI series wins in Australia and South Africa in recent months, the Mohammad Rizwan-led team looked out of sorts in both bowling and batting against New Zealand – who looked more professional and well-oiled — in the first game of the tri-nation series which is a precursor to the ICC Champions Trophy starting in Pakistan later this month. The third team in the tri-series is South Africa.

The game, which New Zealand comfortably won by 78 runs, proved a battle between New Zealand and southpaw opener Fakhar Zaman as Pakistan chased a tough 331. The moment the belligerent batter was dismissed for an emblematic 84 off 69 balls, the momentum in the Pakistan innings diminished and it all became a lost battle as the spin trio of captain Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips took charge.

Pakistan lost Babar Azam (10 off 23 balls), their primary batter who has been given the role of an opener in this event, had a very cautious start before he was caught brilliantly at square leg by Phillips off the bowling of off-spinner Bracewell in the 10th over as the hosts ended the first power play at 52-1.

Making a comeback to the national ODI team after a gap of almost 15 months, the 34-year-old Fakhar did not show any signs of rustiness while playing a characteristically-fluent knock — which was his 17th half-century in 83 ODIs — during which he hit seven fours and four sixes to keep Pakistan in the game.

Batting at number three, Kamran Ghulam consumed 32 balls for his 18 while adding 51 runs off 54 balls with Fakhar for the second wicket as Pakistan touched the hundred mark in 18.2 overs. Kamran in frustration tried to accelerate but only succeeded in giving Will Young a simple catch at long-off off the bowling of Santner in the 19th over.

Rizwan (three) seemed clueless during his 11-ball stay before he was trapped by Santner on the first ball of the 23rd over as Pakistan slipped to 117 for three.

The Pakistan camp and their fans at a roaring Gaddafi Stadium got the biggest shock in the 24th over when a well-set Fakhar was deceived by part-time off-spinner Phillips’ ball that came in and hit the back pad in front of the off-stump. The batter reviewed in vain. Pakistan were now reeling at 119-4.

Salman Ali Agha (40 off 51) and Tayyab Tahir (30 off 29) added 53 runs off 59 for the fifth wicket but could not maintain the required run-rate. While Tayyab was caught brilliantly by Bracewell at short mid-wicket off paceman Matt Henry, Khushdil Shah (15 off 18) was undone by Santner’s superb spin display as the left-hander was stumped. At 205-6 in the 39th over, a defeat starting staring the hosts in the face.

Salman in the very next over was caught by Mitchell at long-on off Bracewell after which Pakistan eventually crumbled to 252-9.

LATE FLOURISH

Earlier, Phillips struck a blistering maiden ODI century as New Zealand made a late flourish to post a challenging total for the hosts under sunshine.

After taking a moderate start, the tourists in the last 10 overs launched a massive counterattack to plunder 123 runs.

The extent of the late carnage can be gauged from the fact that 84 runs were taken by New Zealand in the final 4.2 overs after they had reached 250 in 45.4 overs.

Other than Phillips, Daryl Mitchell (81 off 84) and former skipper Kane Williamson (58 off 89) made solid contributions for New Zealand.

Batting at number six, the 28-year-old Phillips cracked an unbeaten 106 off just 74 balls with the help of seven sixes and six fours. He was duly named the player-of-the-match.

Santner’s decision to bat first initially seemed wrong as paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi drew the first blood on the first ball of the innings as a tentative looking opener Will Young (four) edged the ball to wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Fellow opener Rachin Ravindra, after smashing Abrar Ahmed for a four through mid-off, was caught and bowled by the mystery spinner on the very next ball of the eighth over which restricted New Zealand to 39-2 and they ended the first power play at 42-2. Ravindra hit five fours in his 19-ball 25.

Mitchell joined Williamson and the two vital cogs of New Zealand batting steered their team out of trouble as they added 95 runs off 112 balls. The tourists completed their 100 in 20.4 overs.

Both Williamson and Mitchell took their time to rebuild the innings before starting to dominate. Williamson, who reached his 46th ODI half-century off 82 balls, struck seven fours while the more aggressive Mitchell clobbered four sixes and two fours after reaching the half-century mark from 61 balls.

At 134-2, New Zealand lost a couple of wickets in quick succession. While Williamson’s scalp was claimed by Shaheen who made the batter edge the ball to Rizwan in the 27th over, Tom Latham in the very next over was caught for a duck by a diving Kamran off pacer Haris Rauf at short mid-wicket. New Zealand were now 135-4.

At this crucial juncture, Mitchell and Phillips made sure their team remain in the game as they upped the ante to stitch a 65-run partnership off 64 balls. At 200-4 in the 38th over, Mitchell chipped an Abrar delivery to Khushdil at mid-wicket.

In the next over, Haris left the ground due to chest pain and did not return to the field. He returned figures of 1-23 in 6.2 overs.

Despite Mitchell’s departure, there was no respite for Pakistan as Phillips changed gears in a stunning fashion.

Phillips and all-rounder Bracewell (31 off 23) added a quickfire 54 off 47 balls for the sixth wicket before the latter was caught by substitute Saud Shakeel at log-on off Shaheen.

Having completed his fifty off 55 balls, Phillips thumped Pakistan bowlers all over the park to add 51 to his score in his next 19 deliveries and in the process built an unbeaten stand of 76 with Santner whose slim contribution was mere eight not out.

Except for Abrar (2-41) and Haris, all Pakistan bowlers proved expensive. While Shaheen (3-88 off 10 overs) went for 71 runs in his final six overs, Naseem (0-70), Khushdil (0-66 off nine) and Salman (0-31 in 4.4) had a forgettable game.

SCOREBOARD

NEW ZEALAND:

W. Young c Rizwan b Shaheen4

R. Ravindra c & b Abrar25

K. Williamson c Rizwan b Shaheen58

D. Mitchell c Khushdil b Abrar81

T. Latham c Kamran b Haris0

G. Phillips not out106

M. Bracewell c sub (Saud Shakeel) b Shaheen31

M. Santner not out8

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, NB-1, W-5)17

TOTAL (for six wickets, 50 overs)330

DID NOT BAT: M. Henry, B. Sears, W. O’Rourke

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Young), 2-39 (Ravindra), 3-134 (Williamson), 4-135 (Latham), 5-200 (Mitchell), 6-254 (Bracewell).

BOWLING: Shaheen 10-0-88-3 (2w), Naseem 10-0-70-0 (1w, 1nb), Abrar 10-0-41-2 (1w), Haris 6.2-0-23-1, Khushdil 9-0-66-0 (1w), Salman 4.4-0-31-0.

PAKISTAN:

Fakhar Zaman lbw b Phillips84

Babar Azam c Phillips b Bracewell10

Kamran Ghulam c Young b Santner18

Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Santner3

Salman Agha c Mitchell b Bracewell40

Tayyab Tahir c Bracewell b Henry30

Khushdil Shah st Latham b Santner15

Shaheen Shah Afridi c sub (NG Smith) b Henry10

Naseem Shah c Latham b Henry13

Abrar Ahmed not out23

Haris Rauf absent hurt

EXTRAS (W-6)6

TOTAL (all out, 47.5 overs)252

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-52 (Babar), 2-103 (Kamran), 3-117 (Rizwan), 4-119 (Fakhar), 5-172 (Tayyab), 6-205 (Khushdil), 7-205 (Salman), 8-222 (Shaheen), 9-252 (Naseem)

BOWLING: Henry 9.5-0-53-3 (1w), O’Rourke 6-0-46-0 (2w), Bracewell 10-0-41-2, Sears 6-0-39-0 (1w), Santner 10-2-41-3 (2w), Phillips 3-0-18-1, Ravindra 3-0-14-0.

RESULT: New Zealand won by 78 runs

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Glenn Phillips (New Zealand).

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2025