Pakistan's stunning bowling performance helped them clinch a remarkable 26-run victory over New Zealand in the third One Day International (ODI) in Karachi on Wednesday. The Pakistani bowlers were on fire and they managed to bowl out New Zealand for 261 runs. The victory was a significant one for Pakistan, as it marked their first ODI series win over New Zealand in 12 years.
New Zealand, who had been set a target of 288 runs to win, kept losing wickets at regular intervals throughout their innings. Although openers Tom Blundell and Will Young provided a solid start, their dismissal was followed by a flurry of wickets. Blundell scored the highest 65 runs for New Zealand, while skipper Tom Latham made 45 runs. However, it was Cole McConchie who provided some resistance at the end, scoring an unbeaten 63 runs, including six boundaries and two maximums.
The Pakistani bowlers were the real stars of the match, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, and Naseem Shah each taking two wickets. Agha Salman also chipped in with one wicket to help Pakistan secure a vital victory.
On the other hand, Pakistan's left-handed opener, Imam-ul-Haq, led the way with a controlled and consistent performance with the bat. Despite some impressive bowling by the New Zealand team, Imam managed to restrict the home side to 287-6. Fakhar Zaman, who had scored two consecutive centuries in the first two ODIs of the series, was out earlier in the match. The left-handed batter struggled to find his rhythm and was dismissed after giving away his wicket to Matt Henry.
Imam-ul-Haq continued his impressive form from the previous two matches and built some valuable momentum alongside skipper Babar Azam. The two batters shared an impressive partnership of 108 runs. Babar completed his 26th fifty but fell short of his 5000 ODI runs milestone, as he is just 19 runs shy of reaching it. Meanwhile, Imam was looking good to score his first century in the series but was dismissed on 90. His innings included seven boundaries and a six.
In the end, Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman tried to score some runs for Pakistan, managing to score 54 runs together. Shadab Khan (21*) and Mohammad Nawaz (11*) also contributed valuable runs to help Pakistan post a defendable total.
New Zealand's Matt Henry was the pick of the bowlers, picking up three wickets, while Adam Milne and Cole McConchie also managed to take a wicket each.
Pakistan's victory was a remarkable one, as it marked their first ODI series win over New Zealand in 12 years. The Pakistani bowlers were in exceptional form, and their consistent performances throughout the match helped them secure a well-deserved victory. Meanwhile, Imam-ul-Haq's impressive innings set the tone for the Pakistani team, with his controlled and consistent performance helping to restrict the New Zealand team to a manageable total.
The victory will undoubtedly boost Pakistan's morale, and they will be looking to continue their winning form in the upcoming matches. For New Zealand, the loss will be a disappointment, but they will undoubtedly look to bounce back in the next match and level the series.
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