New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 84 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series, thanks to Mitchell Hay and Ben Sears, who played crucial roles in the victory.
Pakistan won the toss again, and Mohammed Rizwan opted to let the Kiwis bat first at the grassy Seddon Park Stadium.
New Zealand featured debutant Rhys Mariu, who replaced Will Young and opened the batting alongside Nick Kelly. The opening partnership got off to a strong start, with both players contributing to a 50-run stand for the first wicket. However, Haris Rauf took the first breakthrough, dismissing the well-settled Nick Kelly for 31 runs off 23 balls.
By the end of the powerplay, New Zealand had posted 72 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Pakistan fought back with a spirited bowling display, making it difficult for the batters to score. Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell settled in, but Mitchell fell to Sufiyan Muqeem, who spun the ball sharply, with Rizwan completing the stumping. Wickets continued to fall in the middle overs, and by the 27th over, New Zealand had lost half their side at 132/5.
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Mohammed Abbas and Mitchell Hay's Crucial Partnership
Mohammed Abbas and Michael Hay came together with the task of guiding their team to a competitive total. The duo batted smartly, taking quick singles and twos while finding gaps. Abbas, who had made a stunning debut in the first match with a 29-ball fifty, played a calm innings to support Mitchell Hay, who was aggressive against the bowlers. They forged a 77-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Abbas fell to Sufiyan Muqeem. However, Michael Hay continued to thrive at the other end, scoring a stylish fifty and hitting boundaries to help his team reach 292/8 in 50 overs. Unfortunately, he finished not out on 99 runs off 78 balls, just missing out on his maiden century. Pakistan, once again, failed to capitalize on a solid bowling performance.
Same Old Story Continues for Pakistan
Pakistan's opening pair, Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, began their innings, but it turned into a nightmare as they lost three wickets for just nine runs. Jacob Duffy and William O'Rourke wreaked havoc on Pakistan's top order with some effective swing bowling. They managed to finish the powerplay without losing any more wickets, ending with a score of 28/3. Once the powerplay was over, Ben Sears was introduced by the captain and took two wickets in one over, reducing Pakistan to 32/5. With half the side gone within the 11-over mark, Pakistan struggled to keep up with the chase.
Commendable Fight back from Pakistan Tail-enders
Surprisingly, when fans thought New Zealand would quickly wrap up the innings, Pakistan's tailenders put up a fight. Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah added a spirited 60-run partnership, boosting the score from 114/8. Their efforts saved Pakistan from further humiliation, as Faheem Ashraf scored 73 runs off 80 balls and Naseem Shah contributed 51 runs off 44 balls, allowing Pakistan to lose by a reasonable margin of 84 runs.
Ben Sears was the standout bowler, achieving his maiden five-wicket haul with figures of 5/59, marking his best performance in ODIs. With this victory, New Zealand secured the series 2-0, with one match remaining.
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Pakistan has been struggling with losses lately. 2025 has not been kind to them or their fans. While they show effort on the field, the team has failed to play cohesively. In this match, their tailenders fought hard, but if the top-order batters had been able to score runs, the outcome might have been different.
Mitchell Hay was awarded Player of the Match for his superb knock of 99 runs off 78 balls. He discussed the plan he had with Mohammed Abbas during their partnership, which ultimately led New Zealand to a competitive total.
On his partnership with Abbas; We just talked a lot about trying to take the game deep. We thought we could do a little bit of damage if we got to the death period. Mo batted really nicely. It was nice to form a partnership with him and take it deep
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