Fakhar Zaman's unbeaten 180 stole Daryl Mitchell's thunder as Pakistan chased down 337 with seven wickets in hand and 10 balls to spare at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on April 29. Zaman registered the highest individual ODI score by a Pakistan batter on Pakistan soil to help the hosts take a 2-0 lead in five-ODI series against Tom Latham-led New Zealand.
In the run chase, Zaman picked up right where he left off in the previous ODI. He used the fielding restrictions to his use and found boundaries. Matt Henry broke the opening partnership in the 10th over. Imam-ul-Haq top-edged one to Mitchell. He scored 24 runs from 26 balls including three fours. Mark Chapman gave a reprieve to Zaman in the 16th over dropping the catch at deep square leg. The opener negated Ish Sodhi threat by targetting him. Skipper Babar Azam supported him well from the other end.
Zaman got to his century from 83 balls. He also became third-fastest to 3,000 ODI runs. In the 30th over, Azam lost his wicket to Sodhi. The skipper scored 65 runs from 66 balls including five fours and one six. They shared a 135-run partnership for the second wicket. Abdul Shafique was dismissed cheaply by Henry Shipley but Mohammad Rizwan provided the much-needed support.
Zaman got to his 150 from 125 balls. Rizwan scored at a brisk rate as well as the hosts looked to finish the run chase early. Nothing worked for the Kiwis as Pakistan achieved the target with 10 balls to spare. Zaman scored 180 runs from 144 balls including 17 fours and six sixes. Rizwan scored 54 runs from 41 balls including six fours.
Earlier, Azam won the toss and opted to field first. There was an early confusion when the 30-yard circle wasn’t marked properly and umpire Aleem Dar intervened. Haris Rauf drew first blood with the wicket of Will Young. The opener scored 19 runs from 22 balls including four fours. In-form Mitchell did not face any problems. Chad Bowes got to his maiden ODI fifty from 50 balls. But Bowes departed right after reaching the milestone. Once again Rauf got the breakthrough.
Mitchell and Latham rebuild the innings without taking much pressure when the boundaries were not coming. In the 39th over, Mitchell was dropped in the 39th over when he was batting on 96. In the same over, Latham got to his fifty from 61 balls. In the next over, Mitchell got to his century from 101 deliveries. He tried to take the attack to the opposition after reaching second consecutive ODI century. Latham accelerated as well and used the review well to save his wicket.
Economical Naseem Shah broke the third wicket partnership. Mitchell scored 129 runs from 119 balls including eight fours and three sixes. Latham missed out on a well-deserved century. Rauf got his wicket in the 47th over. Latham scored 98 runs from 85 balls including eight fours and one six. In the penultimate over, Rauf got the wicket of Mark Chapman. He conceded 78 runs but took four wickets. James Neesham's 15-ball 17 helped New Zealand post 336/5.
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