New Zealand completed a dominant 3-0 series whitewash against Pakistan with a 43-run victory in the third ODI. Set a target of 265, Pakistan struggled throughout their chase, bowled out for 221 in just 40 overs.
Pakistan’s pursuit faltered early when Imam-ul-Haq was forced to retire after a blow to the jaw, with Usman Khan stepping in as his replacement. Despite a solid 68-run partnership between Abdullah Shafique and captain Babar Azam, the innings collapsed after key wickets fell. Shafique was dismissed for 33, and Babar, who scored a well-fought 51, was sent back by Mitchell Santner. Pakistan continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, with Usman Khan (12) and Agha Salman (11) falling cheaply.
Read more: Imam-ul-Haq Retires Hurt Following Jaw Injury in Pakistan vs New Zealand Match
Rizwan fought back with 37, but with Faheem Ashraf contributing just 3, and Naseem Shah’s brief 17-run cameo, Pakistan couldn’t avoid a heavy loss. They were dismissed for 221, with Ben Sears taking five wickets and claiming Player of the Series honors for his outstanding bowling performances.
Earlier, New Zealand posted 264-8, after losing Nick Kelly early. Rhys Mariu (58) and Daryl Mitchell (43) steadied the innings, while captain Michael Bracewell contributed an unbeaten 59 off 40 balls to help New Zealand set a competitive total. The Pakistani bowlers struggled to contain the batting, with Sufiyan Muqeem and Akif Javed taking one wicket each.
Despite the strong finish from New Zealand, the series was marked by excellent all-round performances, with Ben Sears leading the charge with figures of 5-31 in the third ODI.
Playing XIs:
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Akif Javed.
New Zealand: Nick Kelly, Tim Seifert, Rhys Mariu, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell (c), Muhammad Abbas, Mitchell Hay (w), Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, William O’Rourke.
