Devon Conway (101) and Kane Williamson (85) put on 181 runs for the second wicket on a spin-friendly wicket in Karachi before their bowlers came up with a collective effort to help New Zealand level the series with a 79-run win in Karachi on Wednesday.
The Conway-Williamson partnership was crucial in New Zealand being able to post 261, with the rest of the batters failing to come to terms with the pitch as Mohammad Nawaz (4-38) helped Pakistan fight back with the ball. Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan in the chase but his 79 came off 114 deliveries as New Zealand kept the scoring in check throughout the innings, eventually managing to bowl the hosts out for 182.
Pakistan’s chase did not start on a bright note as the openers departed in successive overs. Fakhar Zaman was caught behind off Tim Southee attempting a drive while Imam-ul-Haq top-edged a Lockie Ferguson delivery to backward square leg. It was slow going for Pakistan in the first powerplay despite Babar scoring a few boundaries as they managed only 31 in the first 10 overs.
Mohammad Rizwan had a lucky break as Tom Latham could not hold on to the ball when the batter had gloved a Michael Bracewell delivery in the 12th over. The spinners kept it tight, giving away only one four from overs 11-20, with Mitchell Santner striking off the last ball of the 20th to have Rizwan (28 off 50) bowled to end a 55-run stand that came off 99 balls. The spinners continued the stranglehold on the Pakistan batters, not conceding a single boundary for 62 deliveries, the hosts could only manage 83 at the halfway stage of their innings, with the required rate going beyond seven.
The urgency was lacking in the Babar-Haris Sohail association as well that lasted 41 deliveries, with only 22 runs coming in the stand, and Sohail ended up being dismissed by Glenn Phillips for a 21-ball 10. Agha Salman struck a couple of fours in a brisk partnership with Babar before being run out for 25. Babar reached his fifty soon after, getting there off 86 deliveries on a track that had some help for the slower bowlers. While Babar started finding the boundaries, wickets at the other end weren’t helping as Nawaz fell to Bracewell who finished with 1 for 29.
Usama Mir struck a four and a six before gloving a short delivery from Southee to the ‘keeper as Pakistan slipped to 158/7. The equation was 96 off the last 10 overs, with Babar being the lone recognised batter. But New Zealand ensured that Pakistan did not even come close, as Wasim was run out while Sodhi had Babar stumped and Haris Rauf caught at long-off to finish off the game in the 43rd over.
Earlier, Nawaz powered Pakistan’s strong comeback after the second wicket pair of Devon Conway and Kane Williamson had put on a big stand. The visitors, who were going strong at 183/1 in the 30th over, could only add 78 more as Nawaz picked up four wickets in three overs to finish with his third four-wicket haul in ODIs, removing the cream of the New Zealand batting order.
Naseem Shah struck early to dismiss of Finn Allen in the opening over, getting him to drive uppishly to cover where Nawaz held on to a sharp catch. Williamson and Conway then kept the boundaries coming, driving, punching, pulling and flicking with confidence, as they scored 10 fours between them in the first eight overs. Williamson had multiple reprieves during his partnership with Conway, who started dealing in boundaries after a few quiet overs. He entered the 90s with three reverse-swept fours off Mir in the 29th over and brought up an 89-ball hundred with a couple in the same over.
However, Naseem’s reintroduction resulted in Conway being bowled, ending the second wicket stand worth 181. This started the slide as Nawaz picked up the wickets of Daryl Mitchell and Latham in the same over followed by the dismissal of Williamson, who was bowled by a delivery that spun away sharply. Phillips also fell to Nawaz while Mir and Rauf picked up a wicket apiece, dismissing Bracewell and Ish Sodhi respectively. Naseem pocketed his third with the wicket of Southee but ended up being struck for a six by Santner, who scored a handy 36 before becoming the last to depart.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 261 in 49.5 overs (Devon Conway 101, Kane Williamson 85; Mohammad Nawaz 4-38, Naseem Shah 3-58) beat Pakistan 182 in 43 overs (Babar Azam 79, Mohammad Rizwan 28; Tim Southee 2-33, Ish Sodhi 2-38) by 79 runs.