Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Blackcaps pulverise Pakistan to secure ODI series triumph
Sport Nation • April 2nd, 2025 6:55 pm
Photo: Photosport
The Blackcaps have closed out an ODI series win over Pakistan with an 84-run victory in the second match in Hamilton on Wednesday.
After Mitch Hay's heroics (99*) had powered the Blackcaps to 292/8 with a late blitz, the NZ bowling attack made light work of the Pakistan order, dismissing them for 208 in the 42nd over and beating the threat of rain that loomed large all day at Seddon Park.
Ben Sears was the pick of the bowlers with 5/59, while Jacob Duffy added a valuable 3/35.
Mitch Hay on his player-of-the-match performance against Pakistan | Sport Nation Cricket
Asked to bat first, newcomer Nick Kelly helped the Blackcaps to a flying start, blasting 31 off 23 balls in a first-wicket partnership of 54 with Rhys Mariu, before nicking one behind off the bowling of Haris Rauf.
Mariu departed three overs later, squandering a solid start with a leading edge off Mohammad Wasim that was well caught by Babar Azam at extra cover.
The Blackcaps reached the 100-run mark in the 16th over, only to immediately lose Daryl Mitchell, who was beaten all ends up by the googly of Sufiyan Muqeem and stumped with 18 runs to his name.
Six balls later, Henry Nicholls was trapped LBW by Akif Javed as the hosts stumbled to 102/4.
Faced with a repair job, Muhammad Abbas and Michael Bracewell dug in and the run rate suffered as a result.
The pressure eventually told, with skipper tickling one through off Wasim to leave the New Zealanders at a precarious position at 132/5 in the 27th over.
Backing up superbly from his whirlwind debut, Abbas stood his ground with a more measured innings of 41 off 66 balls before being caught on the boundary.
Mitch Hay goes berserk in final-over blitz for Blackcaps to fall just short of century | Sport Nation Cricket
But Hay stepped up to provide the impetus for the Blackcaps, slamming 99 off 78 balls, including seven sixes and seven fours - one of the final ball of the innings to leave him one run short of a century.
The defence of their total could scarcely have started better for the Blackcaps, with Ben Sears and Jacob Duffy running through the top order to reduce Pakistan to 32/5 in the 12th over.
Faheem Ashraf (73 off 79) did his best to hang around, leading a valiant wag of the tail alongside injury replacement Naseem Shah (51 off 44) before his the team were finally bundled out for 208.
The final match of the series takes place in Tauranga on Saturday.
Tune into Sport Nation for live commentary of the third ODI between the Blackcaps and Pakistan on Saturday from 10:30am.
