RAWALPINDI: Daryl Mitchell’s (129) second successive hundred and his outstanding 183-run stand for the third wicket with Tom Latham (98) set up a highest-ever ODI runs chase for Pakistan at the Pindi Stadium on Saturday.
New Zealand’s 336 for 5 in the second of the five-match series was the highest-ever score by a team in ODI format at the ground, surpassing Pakistan’s 329 for 6 set against India in 2004.
Following a relatively slow start that saw Kiwis reaching 100 runs in 17 overs, both Mitchell and Latham shifted gears, stealing single and hitting boundaries on loose deliveries.
Mitchell went after debutant Ishanullah who conceded 60 runs in eight overs. Though Haris Rauf also proved costly, conceding 78 of 10 overs, he picked up four wickets that somewhat checked the NZ run-follow during the middle overs. Yet again Naseem Shah (1-49) was the pick of bowlers but the slowness of the wicket made it impossible for him to make inroads into the New Zealand innings.
Mitchell got a lucky escape at 96 dropped by Naseem at short mid-wicket of Usama Mir. An over later he completed his second consecutive hundred of the series, pulling Ihsanullah for a single to fine-leg. His 102-ball hundred which was his third in ODI was studded with six boundaries and two sixes. Earlier, his fifty came off 61 balls with the help of six boundaries. Later he was picked up by Nawaz off Haris, trying to accelerate the scoring. His more than run-a-ball innings contained three sixes and eight fours.
Latham was not far behind as he was up against the challenge after missing out in the first ODI, making a good account of his stay. He smashed one six and eight fours during his 85-ball knock. Together with Mitchell, he added183 runs for the third wicket which set up the tone for a record total on the Pindi Stadium pitch which looked full of runs.
New Zealand reached 250 in the 42nd over for the loss of two wickets, setting up prospects of exciting last eight overs, and reached 300 in the 46th over.
New Zealand again was put into bat by Babar Azam considering the state of the Pindi Stadium wicket. The pitch that was void of any grass was comparatively slow than it was during the opening ODI. Scoring runs and that too on the back foot was rather easier.
Score Board
Pakistan won the toss
New Zealand 1st Innings
Young c Rizwan b Rauf 19
Bowes lbw b Haris Rauf 51
Mitchell c Nawaz b Naseem 129
Latham (c) c Rizwan b Hari 98
James Neesham not out 17
Chapman c Abdullah b Haris 1
Henry Nicholls not out 6
Extras: (b 2, lb 7, w 6) 15
Total: 50 Ov (RR: 6.72) 336/5
Did not bat: Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry
Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-119, 3-302, 4-312, 5-327
Bowling: Naseem Shah 10-0-49-1, Ihsanullah 8-0-60-0, Haris Rauf 10-0-78-4, Mohammad Nawaz 7-0-40-0, Usama Mir 10-0-66-0, Agha Salman 5-0-34-0,
Pakistan Team: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Ihsanullah
ODI debut: Ihsanullah
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Rashid Riaz