In the tour down under on Trans Tasmanian shores which seemed to be forgettable for the Pakistan cricket team where losses in every match they played added only to their worries of building a perfect team for the T20I World Cup in June 2024. Until Sunday 21st of January bought in the good news for the touring team as Team Pakistan thanks to the hostile bowling by Mohammad Nawaz ( 2 for 18) and spin infused bowling by Iftikhar Ahmed (3-24) beat hosts New Zealand by 42 runs defending 134 to avert series whitewash 5-0 which NZ won 4-1.
This win came on the backdrop of backlashes team Pakistan faced back home disappointing their fans all around the globe especially in Pakistan to have any hopes from their team performing and winning on Trans Tasmanian Islands post their dismal Test series vs Australia where they lost 3-0 and the T20I series vs New Zealand where they almost were on the verge of whitewash in the 5 match T20I series until Shaheen Afridi led team managed a victory to make series 4-1 thus avoiding more humiliation .
Pitch Condition and Teams
The pitch at the Hagley Oval seemed a little bit tacky at the start but looked to be a spinning wicket giving chances to spinners from both the teams to have a go at each other. On the other hand the strip used for this match was the same one that was used in the 4th T0I on Friday and not much change was to seen in the condition of the pitch which was supposed to be helpful for the spinners as the game progresses.
Pakistan skipper Shaheen Afridi believing that the ball will spin the later half for the first time in this series won the toss and decided to bat. Pakistan rested the likes of Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Wasim Jr in this match and gave chances to debutant Haseebullah Khan, Abbas Afridi and Usama Mir meanwhile New Zealand who already lead the series 4-0 gave chances to Rachin Ravindra and Ish Sodhi in place of inform Daryl Mitchell (rested due to workload management) and pacer Adam Milne.
A powerplay to forget for Pakistan
A brief revival courtesy Fakhar Zaman’s cameo 33 runs of 16 balls helps Pakistan post 134
Only 29 runs came in the powerplay with Babar Azam struggling to inject any momentum into his innings. Pakistan’s star batter was a beneficiary of a lot of kiwi benevolence with Mark Chapman putting down two sitters. Babar still couldn’t break free to make those chances count, falling for a 24-ball 13 to Ish Sodhi. His 53-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan (38 off 38) proved to be crucial.
While Rizwan kept ticking the scoreboard over and hit the occasional boundary, the much-needed injection of momentum came courtesy Fakhar Zaman, who ended the drudgery by sending the third and fifth deliveries — both off Lockie Ferguson — he faced for sixes. Zaman continued to be brutal on leggie Ish Sodhi (2-22), who he enjoys a great matchup against and hit him for a six and a four in the 12th over.
Another six came off Tim Southee in the following over before the experienced seamer came back to dismiss the left-hander Fakhar Zaman for an ultimately useful 16-ball 33.Pakistan’s innings went into a tailspin post Zaman until the very end when Sahibzada Farhan and Abbas Afridi hit between them a troika of sixes to push the total past 130 exactly to be 134 by the end of the innings. For New Zealand, Southee, Henry, Ferguson and Sodhi all managed two wickets apiece.
New Zealand struggle from the get-go
Iftikhar Ahmed applies the squeeze through the middle as Pakistan bundle out
Captains views and Road Ahead
Shaheen Afridi, winning captain said :
“Ifti (Iftikhar) is a very experienced player and he’s always ready for the bowling but we wanted to give everyone a proper chance so we were planning to give chances to youngsters this series, we sorted out 16-20 players (for the World Cup). I want to thank everyone, the crowd was fantastic,”
Mitchell Santner, the losing captain said:
“The pitch slowed down a lot and we were pretty happy with the score. We just got outplayed in the second innings. The power play was very important on a slow wicket. We talk about trying to take it deep but it’s good learning,”
Iftikhar Ahmed who got Player of the match for his splendid bowling performance of 3 for 24 said :
“I read the wicket and bowled accordingly, wicket was turning so I tried to bowl wicket by wicket. Yes it was decided that I will bowl today, Shaheen told me before the game and I was preparing for it. If captain wants, I am available to bowl as I have performed previously and will continue the same way,”
New Zealand wicket keeper batter Finn Allen who top scored with 275 runs in 5 matches at an average of 55.00 and the strike rate of 195 .03 scoring the only century in the series said:
“I’ve been trying to be a bit more consistent and assess the conditions quicker,”
Overall it was Pakistan’s day who finally got all the things right and Shaheen also realizing that it was spin to win on this sluggish used wicket at Hagley Oval where 134 too seemed a par total ending Pakistan’s Tour to New Zealand with some hope having averted the series whitewash.
Pakistan finally breaks the hoodoo after a 3-0 defeat, albeit in a highly engrossing Test series in Australia, and four losses on the trot in New Zealand. New Zealand will now turn their attention toward the Test series against newly formed South Africa, while Pakistan players will get ready for the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League, which will kick off on 17th February.