Nathan Smith bagged four wickets © Getty Riding on a career-best 132 from Mark Chapman and a four-wicket haul from Nathan Smith, New Zealand beat Pakistan by 73 runs in the first ODI in Napier. Chasing an above-par target of 345, Pakistan looked in the hunt for most of the run chase. They were 249/3 in the 39th over, but the departure of a well-set Babar Azam for 78 triggered a collapse, with the visitors losing 7 for 22 to get bowled out for 271 in 44.1 overs. It was a promising start with the ball too for Pakistan. After opting to field, Naseem Shah found the edge of Will Young early before Akif Javed struck twice: first going through Nick Kelly’s defences and then bouncing out Henry Nicholls. At 50 for 3, New Zealand looked like they needed a big partnership, and that came in the form of a 198-run stand between Chapman and Daryl Mitchell, who made 76. Chapman notched up a patient fifty off 63 balls before doubling down on his efforts and eventually taking only 31 more balls to get to his century. Mitchell played the perfect foil, scoring at a strike rate of under 100 during his 84-ball knock. Just when Pakistan looked to claw back, thanks to Irfan Khan dismissing both well-set batters in consecutive overs, debutant Muhammad Abbas lit up the final overs with a fiery 26-ball 52. The left-hander showcased clean hitting, striking 3 fours and 3 sixes to lift New Zealand past 340. The absence of a specialist spinner hurt Pakistan in the middle overs. Their fifth-bowling option, a role shared by Salman Agha and Irfan Khan, conceded 118 runs in 10 overs. In addition, the visitors conceded 43 extras to compound their problems and were left facing a stiff target. With the bat, Pakistan got going in the chase with an 83-run opening stand between Abdullah Shafique and Usman Khan. Both were dismissed in quick succession, but the returning duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar dropped anchor for a third-wicket stand of 76, admittedly in conditions that had flattened out for batting. It was Abbas who broke the partnership, outwitting an attempted ramp from Rizwan for a catch to the ‘keeper. Salman Agha then joined Babar in the middle and injected some momentum into the chase with 5 fours and 2 sixes. The duo added 85 runs for the fifth wicket before Babar timed a pull shot straight to deep square leg. That breakthrough gave New Zealand the opening they wanted, and they pounced on the opportunity. The hosts struck twice in the next over, with Jacob Duffy first running out Tayyab Tahir and then going through the defences of Irfan Khan. Smith then went about mopping up the innings, getting rid of Naseem Shah and Agha in the 44th over. Akif Javed was the last man out, caught in the deep off Smith’s bowling again, as New Zealand pinched yet another win against the touring Pakistan side. Brief Scores: New Zealand 344/9 in 50 overs (Mark Chapman 132, Daryl Mitchell 76, Muhammad Abbas 52; Irfan Khan 3-51) beat Pakistan 271 in 44.1 overs (Babar Azam 78; Nathan Smith 4-60) by 73 runs.
