On April 2, Pakistan suffered an 84-run defeat against New Zealand in the second One Day International (ODI) match of their three-game series held at Seddon Park. This victory gave New Zealand a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. Chasing a score of 293, Pakistan was all out for only 208 runs in just 41.2 overs.
From the beginning, Pakistan’s batsmen found themselves struggling as early dismissals occurred frequently. Abdullah Shafique (1), Imam-ul-Haq (3), and Babar Azam (1) were unable to leave their mark. Later, Mohammad Rizwan (5) and Salman Agha (9) likewise could not steady the ship, resulting in Pakistan reaching only 65-5.
Faheem Ashraf responded with 73 runs from 80 deliveries, and Naseem Shah notched up his maiden ODI half-century (51 off 41). Nonetheless, these contributions were insufficient for Pakistan to achieve their objective, as they concluded their innings at 208.
Rizwan acknowledged that his team had difficulty facing New Zealand’s well-disciplined bowling. He stated, “We failed to make good use of the swing, and New Zealand bowlers performed admirably.” The Pakistani side intends to prevent a complete whitewash during the third ODI, which is set for Tauranga.
