Pakistan vs New Zealand – 2nd ODI Summary and Analysis

Match Basics

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Scorecard Summary

1st Team Play: Pakistan 206 for 8 wickets

• Performers: Batting – Nadiha Khan 79.

Bowling – M. Daniels 2 – 21, S. Ismail 2 – 52.

Target: 207

2nd Team Play: South Africa 207 for 7 wickets

• Performers: Batting – L. Lee 60, L. Wolvaardt 53.

Bowling – Sadia Yousaf 2 – 30.

Result: South Africa won by 3 wickets

Player of Match: S. Ismail, South Africa

Target: 247 in 50 Overs, later reduced to 151 in 25 Overs due to rain interruption.

2ND Team Play: New Zealand – 151/2 (23.5/25 Overs, RR: 6.33)
Performers:
Batting: Martin Guptill 86 runs from 71 balls, Ross Taylor 45 runs from 43 balls.
Bowling: Mohammad Amir 1/18 in 5 overs, Faheem Ashraf 1/30 in 5 overs.

Player of the match: Martin Guptill
Result: New Zealand won by 8 wickets (with 7 balls remaining) (D/L method).

Analysis:

• Pakistan’s profligacy at the top of the order continues to hamper their chances of success in the current series. Failure to cope with the Kiwi quick bowlers meant Pakistan were immediately on the back foot once again. It is understandable that the newer talents are struggling to settle in these very different climatic conditions. However, what is disappointing to see is that seasoned pros like Azhar Ali, who have plenty of experience under their belt, are not learning from their own past mistakes nor guiding the newer talent during their stay on the crease. The lack of foot movement and misjudgment of bounce while facing a formidable pace attack is something that can be easily avoided by watching footage during preparations and practicing during net sessions.
• The middle order’s performance left many head scratching as well. Almost all of the middle order batsmen got out playing extremely loose shots on unspectacular balls. Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed was particularly guilty. Dancing down the wicket, he was completely oblivious to the obvious bounce from the wicket and got himself stumped. The middle order needs to get savvier and not throw away wickets.
• Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan put in a gutsy effort to propel Pakistan to a respectable total. Their innings was similar to that played by Fakhar Zaman, a big miss for Pakistan due to injury, in the first ODI. It is good to see that the young guns are showing character when perhaps the senior pros are not quite at their sharpest.
• Pakistan were, again, so sloppy in the field while bowling. This has to stop otherwise New Zealand may win this series at a canter. Sarfaraz Ahmed needs to make sure he and his boys are completely switched on during fielding. They have shown in previous series that they can field well. It is simply a matter of concentration and game awareness.
• Pakistan’s bowling is not quite clicking as well. Though all of them are bowling well, none of them are bowling wicket taking deliveries. The Pakistan pace attack is just as if not more gifted than that of the Kiwis. Hence, they should be performing at the same high level. Azhar Mehmood, Pakistan’s bowling coach, has to work his boys hard and help them channel their talent.
• New Zealand are performing professionally and working like a well-oiled machine. They have plenty of match winners and more often than not, one of them stands up and helps them to victory. In this match it was Guptill. The opener played a blistering innings and swept aside any sort of challenge the Pakistan bowling line up posed.

Teams

Pakistan

New Zealand