Pakistan beat New Zealand by 26 runs, seal series

Karachi, The Gulf Observer: Pakistan successfully defended a 287-run total as they beat New Zealand by 26 runs. Pakistan have now taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. Earlier, Opener Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam hit solid half-centuries on Wednesday as Pakistan scored 287-6 against New Zealand in the third one-day international in Karachi. Haq scored a 107-ball 90 for his 16th half-century while Azam made a 62-ball 54 for his 26th half-century, after New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl on a slow-paced National Stadium pitch. Trailing 2-0 after losing the first two matches in Rawalpindi by five and seven wickets respectively, New Zealand started well by getting the in-form opener Fakhar Zaman caught off Matt Henry for 19.

Set to chase 288 runs, New Zealand kept losing wickets after regular intervals. Openers Tom Blundell and Will Young provided a good start to their side, but their departure was followed by a couple of quick wickets.

Blundell scored the highest 65 runs for New Zealand. Skipper Tom Latham made 45 runs, whereas, Cole McConchie resisted a bit in the end but couldn’t take New Zealand over the victory line. He scored 63 not out, including six boundaries and two maximums.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Naseem Shah bagged two wickets each. Agha Salman bagged one wicket.