Chapman, Smith Star as New Zealand Secure Comfortable Win Over Pakistan

New Zealand delivered a dominant performance against Pakistan in the first ODI at Napier, securing a convincing 73-run victory. Mark Chapman’s career-best 132 and Nathan Smith’s four-wicket haul led the hosts to a commanding win as Pakistan collapsed under pressure despite a promising start.

New Zealand Posts a Strong Total Despite Early Setbacks

Early Wickets Trouble the Hosts

New Zealand faced early trouble after opting to bat first. Pakistan’s pace attack made an immediate impact, with Naseem Shah dismissing Will Young cheaply. Akif Javed followed up with a double strike, removing Nick Kelly and Henry Nicholls in quick succession. At 50/3, New Zealand was in a precarious position.

Chapman and Mitchell Lead the Recovery

Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell then stitched together a vital 198-run partnership to rescue New Zealand. Chapman built his innings patiently, reaching his half-century in 63 balls before accelerating his scoring rate. He took just 31 more deliveries to complete his century, playing a pivotal role in the team’s recovery.

Mitchell played a crucial supporting role, scoring a composed 76 off 84 balls. The duo kept the scoreboard ticking, neutralizing Pakistan’s bowlers in the middle overs.

Muhammad Abbas’ Late Flourish

Following the dismissal of both set batters in quick succession, debutant Muhammad Abbas provided fireworks in the final overs. He smashed 52 runs off just 26 balls, including three fours and three sixes, propelling New Zealand to a formidable total of 344/9 in 50 overs.

Pakistan’s bowling struggled in the latter stages, with their fifth-bowling option—Salman Agha and Irfan Khan—leaking 118 runs in just 10 overs. Additionally, Pakistan conceded 43 extras, further adding to their woes.

Pakistan’s Chase: A Tale of Two Halves

Strong Start by Pakistan’s Top Order

Pakistan began their chase confidently, with Abdullah Shafique and Usman Khan adding 83 runs for the opening wicket. However, both batters fell in quick succession, shifting the pressure onto the middle order.

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam took charge, consolidating with a 76-run partnership. The batting conditions had improved by then, allowing them to build their innings steadily.

Abbas and New Zealand Bowlers Turn the Game Around

Just as Pakistan seemed to be gaining momentum, Muhammad Abbas provided the breakthrough, dismissing Rizwan with a well-executed short ball that resulted in a simple catch for the wicketkeeper. Salman Agha joined Babar at the crease and played aggressively, striking five fours and two sixes.

Babar looked well set for a century, but his untimely dismissal at 78, caught at deep square leg, sparked a dramatic collapse. Jacob Duffy capitalized on the situation, running out Tayyab Tahir and then clean bowling Irfan Khan in the same over.

Nathan Smith Seals the Win

Nathan Smith then wrapped up Pakistan’s innings efficiently, dismissing Naseem Shah and Agha in the 44th over. Akif Javed was the last wicket to fall, caught in the deep as Pakistan crumbled from 249/3 to 271 all out in 44.1 overs, losing their last seven wickets for just 22 runs.

Match Summary

New Zealand 344/9 in 50 overs (Mark Chapman 132, Daryl Mitchell 76, Muhammad Abbas 52; Irfan Khan 3-51)
Pakistan 271 in 44.1 overs (Babar Azam 78; Nathan Smith 4-60)
New Zealand won by 73 runs.

Key Takeaways from the Match

• Chapman’s Heroics: Mark Chapman’s career-best 132 proved crucial in setting up a challenging target.

• Middle-Order Brilliance: Daryl Mitchell’s supportive role and Muhammad Abbas’ explosive finish gave New Zealand an edge.

• Pakistan’s Bowling Struggles: The lack of a specialist spinner and costly extras hindered Pakistan’s ability to control New Zealand’s batting.

• Batting Collapse: Despite a promising chase, Pakistan’s middle and lower order crumbled under pressure.

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