Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 43 runs to level the six match ODI series on 1-1 after the second match was washed away by rain.
New Zealand won the toss and chose to field first. Tim Southee struck for the Kiwis bagging two wickets in his first two overs. Ahmed Shehzad (0) departed in the second over while Kamran Akmal could score only six runs. Mohammad Hafeez and Younis Khan (12) then revived the innings with a 48-run partnership but still Kiwis had the upper hand with Pakistan struggling at 56/3 in 14 overs.
Hafeez registered his first ODI hundred with a patient 115 runs from 144 balls that included 12 fours and two sixes. Together with Misbah-ul-Haq (35) he ensured that Pakistan had their wickets intact to explode in the later overs with a 94-run partnership.
Pakistan added 98 runs in the last seven overs of the innings with 65 of them coming from Shahid Afridi’s bat. Afridi went berserk scoring a fifty in just 19 balls. His 65 runs came off just 25 balls with five fours and five sixes. Umar Akmal too scored 44 runs from 29 balls with four fours and a six. For New Zealand, Tim Southee (2/57), Kyle Mills (2/61) and Hamish Bennett (2/54) took two wickets apiece.
Chasing a tough target of 294 runs under lights, the Kiwis got off to a good start putting on 44 runs for the first wicket. Martin Guptill scored a run-a-ball 39 runs with four fours and two sixes while Jamie How scored 24 runs from 25 balls. Skipper Ross Taylor (6) failed once again to leave the hosts reeling at 80/3 in 15 overs.
Scott Styris (46) and Kane Williamson (42) added 81 runs for the fourth wicket but the asking rate was always going to be problem. Both the batsmen perished trying to up the scoring rate and with Brendon McCullum’s run out a Pakistan victory was certain. None of the other batsmen scored more than 20 runs and the hosts finally finished on 250/9 in their allotted 50 overs. Umar Gul (2/31), Wahab Riaz (2/43) and Sohail Tanvir (2/56) took two wickets apiece while the other bowlers kept their end tight with economical figures.
Mohammad Hafeez was declared the man of the match for his splendid hundred