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Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan has opened up about his team’s 84-run defeat against New Zealand in the second ODI at Seddon Park, Hamilton. The loss meant New Zealand sealed the three-match series 2-0, with one game remaining.
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Rizwan Acknowledges Pakistan’s Struggles
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rizwan admitted that Pakistan fell short in key areas and credited New Zealand’s disciplined performance.
💬 “It is sore, but it’s part of the game. We didn’t do well today. We didn’t utilize the swing effectively, and New Zealand bowled very well. Later on, Faheem and Naseem fought well for us. These are challenging conditions, but we can’t make excuses. We are professional cricketers, and we need to do something different.”
He praised the New Zealand bowlers for their accuracy and control, especially in the early overs when Pakistan struggled to build momentum.
💬 “The bowlers of New Zealand were very disciplined; they bowled the hard lengths. In the last couple of months, we’ve lost key moments. Today, we didn’t perform well with the ball or the bat in the first 10 overs. Credit to Mitch Hay as well; the way he batted was amazing. We don’t know much about the pitch in Tauranga, but we’ll have to adapt.”
Pakistan’s Top-Order Collapse
Chasing 293, Pakistan’s batting lineup crumbled under New Zealand’s relentless attack.
🚨 Abdullah Shafique (1 off 11), Imam-ul-Haq (3 off 12), and Babar Azam (1 off 3) all fell cheaply, leaving Pakistan in deep trouble at 4/3 in the opening overs.
🚨 Mohammad Rizwan (5 off 27) and Salman Agha (9 off 15) also failed to steady the innings, adding further pressure.
🚨 Tayyab Tahir (13 off 29) attempted to build a partnership but couldn’t counter New Zealand’s disciplined bowling.
With six wickets down for 64 runs, the game seemed out of Pakistan’s grasp.
Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah Provide Resistance
Pakistan’s lower order showed some fight, led by Faheem Ashraf’s brilliant 73 off 80 balls. He played positively, taking on the bowlers and finding crucial boundaries.
🛑 However, wickets kept tumbling. Mohammad Wasim Jr. (1 off 2) and Akif Javed (8 off 7) were dismissed quickly, reducing Pakistan to 114-8 in 28.2 overs.
An injury scare followed when Haris Rauf suffered a concussion, forcing Naseem Shah to replace him.
💪 Naseem and Faheem stitched a 50-run partnership for the ninth wicket, offering a glimmer of hope.
Despite their efforts, Faheem (73 off 80) was dismissed by Ben Sears, leaving Pakistan at 174-9. Naseem continued his fight, scoring his maiden ODI fifty in just 41 balls, but Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 208 in 41.2 overs.
New Zealand’s Batting Brilliance
Earlier, New Zealand’s innings was built on steady partnerships. Rhys Mariu and Nick Kelly set the tone with a 50-run stand, before Pakistan’s bowlers picked up regular wickets.
🚀 Mitchell Hay’s explosive finish powered New Zealand to 292/9—a total that proved too much for Pakistan.
