Karachi:Fast bowler Will O’Rourke’s four-wicket haul, along with half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham, guided New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the tri-nation series final on Friday.
O’Rourke’s impressive 4-43 helped restrict Pakistan to 242 in 49.3 overs, setting up a comfortable chase for the visitors. Mitchell anchored the innings with a 58-ball 57 as New Zealand reached 243-5 in 45.2 overs at Karachi’s National Stadium.
This win provides a confidence boost for the Black Caps ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan at the same venue on Wednesday.
New Zealand’s chase began with an early setback as opener Will Young fell for five in the first over to pacer Naseem Shah. However, Devon Conway (48) and Kane Williamson (34) steadied the innings with a 71-run second-wicket stand.
Williamson was dismissed while attempting an aggressive shot against spinner Salman Agha, and Conway later fell to Naseem in his second spell, leaving New Zealand at 108-3.
Mitchell and Latham then took control, putting on a crucial 87-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Mitchell’s dismissal—caught and bowled by Abrar Ahmed—came when just 48 runs were needed. Latham (56) and Glenn Phillips (20*), however, ensured there were no further hiccups.
Mitchell’s innings featured six boundaries, while Latham struck five fours in his 64-ball knock. Naseem was Pakistan’s most effective bowler, finishing with 2-43 in eight overs.
Earlier, Pakistan struggled to build momentum after being put in to bat. Spinners Mitchell Santner (2-20) and Michael Bracewell (2-38) provided excellent support to O’Rourke, preventing the hosts from putting up a commanding total.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan was Pakistan’s top scorer with 46 off 76 balls, while Salman Agha contributed 45 off 65. The sluggish pitch at the National Stadium made batting difficult, with inconsistent bounce causing trouble for the batters.
Pakistan’s innings got off to a shaky start when Fakhar Zaman was dismissed by O’Rourke for 10 in the fourth over, followed by Saud Shakeel’s departure for eight.
Babar Azam looked promising with a 29-run knock that included four boundaries and a six. During his innings, he reached 6,000 runs in one-day internationals, equaling South Africa’s Hashim Amla as the fastest to achieve the milestone in 123 innings. However, his stay was cut short by a mistimed shot off Nathan Smith, leaving Pakistan at 54-3.
Rizwan and Agha attempted to revive the innings with an 88-run partnership, but their quick dismissals within 19 runs of each other dashed hopes of a competitive total.
Tayyab Tahir added a brisk 38 off 33 balls, striking four boundaries and a six, while Faheem Ashraf (22) and Naseem Shah (19) contributed a valuable 39-run stand, helping Pakistan cross the 240-run mark.
