Rain-Affected ODI Edge of Seat “Thriller”: New Zealand beats Pakistan by 43 Runs
In the 3rd ODI of the series, Pakistan and New Zealand fought for Pak turf at Eden Park, Auckland where both teams struggled in a rain hit outfield, causing a delay due to the wet ground, which turned the match into a 42 over clash. With New Zealand’s disciplined bowling and explosive batting, they we’re able to adapt to the situation and overcome Pakistan, resulting in a 43 run victory, claiming the ODI trophy yet again.
Match Summary
New Zealand: 264/8 in 42 overs
Pakistan: 221 All Out in 40 overs
Result; New Zeland Won by 43 Runs
Key Moment: Sears Ben’s fiery spell ripping the hostility towards the visitors capital by dismantling Pakistan’s central order grabbing 5 wickets in the process.
Not only did the win secure New Zeland a 2-1 series victory, it also strengthens New Zeland’s grip over Pakistan in their own turf.
New Zeland Innings: Developing Towards The Base Figure
Top Performances
Scoring 58 runs off 61 balls, Rhys Maui showcased the agility of preformance blasting the inning into a flurry of 2 sixes and 6 fours.
Michael Bracewell (59 runs scored of 40 balls): The captain led from the front with a sensational innings of one four and six sixes to raise the scoring in the death overs.
Daryl Mitchell (43 runs scored of 53 balls): Mitchell gave stability to the middle order by scoring as things got tough during that phase of the innings.
Seifert (26 runs scored of 29 balls) & Muhammad Abbas (11 runs scored of 11 balls): These contributions were important to help New Zealand go past the total of 260, hence providing competitiveness.
Key Partnerships
Rhys Mariu & Henry Nicholls (58 runs): Their partnership was instrumental for New Zealand’s innings after losing Nick Kelly at the top.
Michael Bracewell & Muhammad Abbas (33 runs): These partnerships provided late charge which enabled New Zealand to set a good score with the rapid loss of wickets.
Bowling Highlights for Pakistan
Akif Javed (4 wickets for 62 runs): Javed was Pakistan’s most successful bowler, giving the Kiwis problems throughout with his pace and accuracy even at the back end of the innings.
Naseem Shah (2 wickets for 54 runs): Naseem came in with a bang taking out important players such as Rhys Mariu which was key alongside Seifert.
Extras: New Zealand received additional 20 runs that included 9 wides which boosted their score.
Pakistan Innings: A Collapse in the Middle Overs
Best Players
Mohammad Rizwan (37 runs from 32 balls): The wicketkeeper-batter played an explosive innings of 2 fours and 1 six, but other players did not support him.
Babar Azam (50 runs from 58 balls): The Pakistani captain displayed his class with a carefully constructed half century and was the mainstay of the chase till he was dismissed by Daryl Mitchell.
Naseem Shah (17 runs off 13 balls): Given a chance up the order, Naseem provided some late fireworks with 1 four and 1 six at a strike rate of 130.77.
Vital Partnerships
Abdullah Shafique & Usman Khan (24 runs): their partnership contributed as a crucial recovery after Imam-ul-Haq retired hurt after making 7 runs.
Rizwan & Salman Agha (38 runs): This stand ensured that Pakistan remained in the contest and was only set to lose momentum until Rizwan got out and shifted the balance back New Zealand’s way.
Outstanding Bowling For New Zealand
Ben Sears (5 wickets for 34 runs): Sears the left arm wicket taker was instrumental in turning the match by single-handedly ripping through Pakistan’s middle and lower order.
Jacob Duffy (2 wickets for 40 runs): Duffy was superb in supporting Sears by getting rid of dangerous batters like Tayyab Tahir and Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Michael Bracewell (1 wicket for 39 runs): The all-rounder also assisted the team by taking a vital wicket of Faheem Ashraf.
Extras: Pakistan gifted 21 extras, out of which 19 were wides, increasing the pressure on their batters.
Turning Points
Michael Bracewell’s Explosive Knock: His amazing 59 runs in the dying overs helped New Zealand post a respectable score that allowed their bowlers something to defend.
Ben Sears’ Spell of Destruction: New Zealand completely dominated the match after the Pakistani bowlers were humiliated by his five wickets in 9 overs.
Fielding Excellence: New Zealand achieved a stunning catch courtesy of Mitchell Hay, which dismissed crucial Pakistani batters, showcasing how far they had risen in the competition.
Man of the Match
Ben Sears (NZ): Batting first and setting Pakistan a target, and astonishingly tearing through their batting line-up with 5/34 to ensure victory for New Zealand.
Series Result
New Zealand Wins the Series 2-1
With unassailable two wins, the Kiwis clinched the three-match ODI series against Pakistan embracing the home condition dominance which will lift their confidence ahead of future tournaments.
NZ vs PAK 3rd ODI Scorecard
Pakistan Tour of New Zealand 2025
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Date: [Insert Match Date]
New Zealand Innings
| Batter | Runs (Balls) | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhys Mariu | 58 (61) | 6 | 2 | 95.08 |
| Nick Kelly | 3 (9) | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Henry Nicholls | 31 (40) | 1 | 0 | 77.50 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 43 (53) | 3 | 1 | 81.13 |
| Seifert | 26 (29) | 1 | 1 | 89.66 |
| Michael Bracewell (C) | 59 (40) | 1 | 6 | 147.50 |
| Muhammad Abbas | 11 (11) | 0 | 1 | 100.00 |
| Mitchell Hay (WK) | 8 (8) | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Ben Sears | 5* (3) | 0 | 0 | 166.67 |
Extras: 20 (b: 4, lb: 5, w: 9, nb: 2, p: 0)
Total: 264/8 in 42 Overs
Fall of Wickets:
- 13-1 (Nick Kelly, 2.6 overs)
- 91-2 (Henry Nicholls, 17.1 overs)
- 103-3 (Rhys Mariu, 20.2 overs)
- 164-4 (Seifert, 31.1 overs)
- 186-5 (Daryl Mitchell, 34.2 overs)
- 211-6 (Muhammad Abbas, 37.2 overs)
- 244-7 (Mitchell Hay, 40.2 overs)
- 264-8 (Michael Bracewell, 41.6 overs)
Pakistan Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem Shah | 9 | 0 | 54 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Akif Javed | 8 | 1 | 62 | 4 | 7.80 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 5 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 6.20 |
| Wasim | 8 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 5.90 |
| Salman Agha | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5.30 |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 9 | 0 | 45 | 1 | 5.00 |
Pakistan Innings
| Batter | Runs (Balls) | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdullah Shafique | 33 (56) | 3 | 0 | 58.93 |
| Imam-ul-Haq | 7 (1) | 0 | 0 | 700.00 |
| Babar Azam (C) | 50 (58) | 4 | 1 | 86.21 |
| Usman Khan | 12 (17) | 1 | 0 | 70.59 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (WK) | 37 (32) | 2 | 1 | 115.62 |
| Salman Agha | 11 (11) | 2 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Tayyab Tahir | 33 (31) | 2 | 1 | 106.45 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 3 (4) | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Naseem Shah | 17 (13) | 1 | 1 | 130.77 |
| Mohammad Wasim Jr. | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Akif Javed | 1* (4) | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 2 (6) | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
Extras: 21 (b: 0, lb: 2, w: 19, nb: 0, p: 0)
Total: 221 All Out in 40 Overs
Fall of Wickets:
- 73-1 (Abdullah Shafique, 16.2 overs)
- 97-2 (Usman Khan, 21.3 overs)
- 108-3 (Babar Azam, 23.4 overs)
- 135-4 (Salman Agha, 26.4 overs)
- 169-5 (Mohammad Rizwan, 32.4 overs)
- 176-6 (Faheem Ashraf, 33.4 overs)
- 212-7 (Naseem Shah, 37.2 overs)
- 212-8 (Mohammad Wasim Jr., 37.3 overs)
- 218-9 (Tayyab Tahir, 38.4 overs)
- 221-10 (Sufiyan Muqeem, 39.6 overs)
New Zealand Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William ORourke | 9 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 6.70 |
| Jacob Duffy | 7 | 0 | 40 | 2 | 5.70 |
| Ben Sears | 9 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 3.80 |
| Michael Bracewell (C) | 8 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 4.90 |
| Muhammad Abbas | 3 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 5.30 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 4 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 |
Match Summary
- New Zealand: 264/8 in 42 overs
- Pakistan: 221 all out in 40 overs
- Result: New Zealand won by 43 runs
- Man of the Match: Ben Sears (NZ) – For his sensational spell of 5/34 that dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup.
Series Result
- New Zealand Wins the Series 2-1
The Kiwis defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the series of ODIs, which came as a part of the Kiwis tour, winning an ODI series at home.
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