In the first ODI at Napier, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 73 runs thanks to a career-best 132 from Mark Chapman and a four-wicket haul from Nathan Smith.
Pakistan spent the most of the run chase in pursuit of an above-average target of 345. After a solid Babar Azam left the field for 78, they fell apart, losing 7 for 22 to be bowled out for 271 in 44.1 overs, having been 249/3 in the 39th over.
Pakistan too had a promising start with the ball. Naseem Shah chose to field and hit Will Young’s edge early on. Akif Javed then scored twice, first overcoming Nick Kelly’s defences and then bouncing out Henry Nicholls. Chapman and Daryl Mitchell put on a 198-run combination, with Mitchell scoring 76, as New Zealand appeared to require a significant partnership at 50 for 3.
After patiently reaching fifty off sixty-three balls, Chapman stepped up his game and eventually reached his century with just thirty-one more balls. Mitchell, who scored at a strike rate of less than 100 during his 84-ball knock, was the ideal foil.
Irfan Khan had just dismissed both well-set batsmen in consecutive overs, giving Pakistan a chance to rally, but newcomer Muhammad Abbas blazed through the last overs with a scorching 26-ball fifty-two. New Zealand passed 340 thanks to the left-hander’s crisp hitting, which included three fours and three sixes.
Pakistan suffered in the middle overs due to the lack of a specialist spinner. They gave up 118 runs in 10 overs with their fifth-bowling option, which Salman Agha and Irfan Khan both play. To make matters worse, the visitors gave up 43 extra goals, which made them a formidable opponent.
Pakistan began the chase with an 83-run opening partnership between Usman Khan and Abdullah Shafique at bat. Despite the fact that both were removed quickly, the returning pair of Babar and Muhammad Rizwan dropped anchor for a third-wicket partnership of 76, although in conditions that had flattened out for batting.
Abbas ended the partnership by outsmarting Rizwan’s attempt at a ramp for a catch to the ‘keeper. After joining Babar in the middle, Salman Agha gave the pursuit some extra impetus with two sixes and five fours. Before Babar hit a pull shot straight to deep square leg, the pair added 85 runs for the fifth wicket.
New Zealand took advantage of the opening that resulted from the breakthrough. In the following over, the hosts scored twice, first when Jacob Duffy ran out Tayyab Tahir and then when he broke through Irfan Khan’s defences. Smith then proceeded to clean up the innings, dismissing Agha and Naseem Shah in the 44th over. As New Zealand defeated the visiting Pakistan team once more, Akif Javed was the final player out, caught in the deep off Smith’s bowling.
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