ABU DHABI: Opener Fakhar Zaman and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi shined in the second and deciding one-day international (ODI) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday as Pakistan bounced back in the three-match series against New Zealand.
Zaman scored a scintillating 88 before departing to Lockie Ferguson while playing a pull shot. Babar Azam (47) and Mohammad Hafeez (26) also made useful contributions.
Earlier, Pakistani fast-bowlers restricted New Zealand to 209 runs after 50 overs after the tourists chose to bat first.
Afridi led the charge, picking up four wickets for 38 runs as he disintegrated the Kiwis’ middle-order. Hassan Ali picked up two wickets for 59 runs.
Ross Taylor top-scored with a 120-ball 86 and Henry Nicholls made 33 off 63 balls and together added 75 for the fifth wicket to lift their team from 73-4.
For Pakistan, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf replaced fast bowler Junaid Khan, who is suffering from an infection in his right foot toe. Junaid has also been ruled out of the third ODI against New Zealand on Sunday.
Ashraf failed to take any wickets, conceding 26 runs in his seven overs.
The Kiwis were unchanged from the first ODI, in which they defeated Pakistan by 47 runs on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Pakistan appeared to be in a stronger position on Friday despite the fact that the Kiwis have an upper hand with a 5-1 winning ratio against the green shirts.
Trent Boult’s devastating bowling on Wednesday exposed Pakistan’s top order as he became the third New Zealand bowler to claim an ODI hat-trick.
The third and final match is in Dubai on Sunday.
SQUADS:
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Lockie Ferguson, Ajaz Patel, George Worker
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