Pakistan speedstar Mohammad Aamer claimed a glorious three-wickjet haul for 28 runs, and Anwar Ali claimed three for 58, as New Zealand battled to set a target of 281 for Pakistan to win the first of the five-match One-Day International (ODI) at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Monday.
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With another new face of New Zealand cricket, Mitchell Santner, they produced a 79-run stand for the seventh wicket after New Zealand were in a perilous state at 99 for 6. He had also attempted to resign the ODI captaincy over Amir’s inclusion, before the Pakistan Cricket Board intervened. “We’ve been practicing bowling into it, everyone is ready”, Ali said.
Nicholls wasn’t even in this 13-man squad before Ross Taylor was ruled out for the Pakistan and Australia ODIs with a side strain.
“It’s nice to be able to do that”, he said, adding he was philosophical about being dropped by Mohammad Hafeez on 15.
“I always feel there is always a need for a balance”.
New Zeland were off to a shaky start as at the score of 23 in the fifth over, it was the explosive opener Martin Guptill, who fell for mere 11 to Mohammad Irfan, after looking to be aggressive right from the start.
They cruised past the 100 mark in the 23rd over, the same as New Zealand, but with only two wickets down. New Zealand will be led by Kane Williamson in the absence of Brendon McCullum, who is still recovering from a sore back and is not expected to be fit before the third ODI of the series.
He hit seven boundaries on his way to 82 before dragging an Anwar Ali delivery on to his stumps.
Pakistan ODI skipper Azhar Ali revealed that he had made peace with controversial pacer Mohammad Amir and said that he is exclusively focussed on leading his side against New Zealand in the three-match ODI series which begins tomorrow, ESPNCricinfo reports.
Babar Azam made 62 for Pakistan with paceman Trent Boult taking four for 40.
After being sent into bat on a windy Wellington day, New Zealand never really settled against a hostile Pakistan attack.
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Then the captain Kane Williamson and all-rounder Grant Elliott were bowled, also within three balls, for 10 and a duck respectively.
