New Zealand produced an impressive display with the bat and followed it up with a calculated bowling effort to outclass Pakistan by 60 runs in the Champions Trophy opener at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday.
The defending champions were out done in all departments in front of a capacity crowd that also had President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari in attendance. They were bowled out for 260 in 47.2 overs.
Chasing a 321-run target, Pakistan had a wrong-footed start when they were forced to send Saud Shakeel to open the innings with Babar Azam since Fakhar Zaman was delayed by 20 minutes due to his absence off the field due to a spasm while fielding.
Black Caps fast bowler O'Rourke provide an early breakthrough by removing Saud Shakeel (6) and Captain Mohammad Rizwan also could not last long and fell after scoring just three, courtesy an acrobatic fielding effort from Glenn Phillips. Pakistan were reduced to 22-2 in 10 overs.
Babar and Fakhar Zaman then made a partial recovery, though at snail pace, by adding 47 runs for the fourth wicket but Fakhar, who was struggling out in the middle due to the back spasm, was bowled by Michael Bracewell after scoring 24 off 41 deliveries.
Salman Agha provided a much-needed lifeline to Pakistan innings with a breezy 28-ball 42 but following his dismissal, Tayyab Tahir fell in the next over to Santner for just 1 and the hosts appeared in all sorts of problems.
Babar tried to anchor the innings in an uncharacteristic knock but fell for 64 off 90 balls to the guile of the New Zealand captain. With his dismissal almost all hopes faded for Pakistan to make a match of it.
A fine rearguard then came from Khushdil Shah who struck 10 boundaries and a six in his quickfire 69 off 49 deliveries but the asking rate had climbed beyond reach by then and the Pakistani innings closed in the 48th over.
O'Rourke was the stand out bowler for New Zealand claiming figures off three for 47 from his 9 overs.
Earlier, Will Young and Tom Latham hit tons as New Zealand reached 320-5 in their 50 overs. The New Zealand opener played a responsible innings of 107, while Latham scored an unbeaten 118 off 104 balls for the Black Caps.
Pakistan had a brilliant start with the ball, as they kept things tight for 20 overs. Abrar Ahmed picked up the first wicket for Pakistan when he removed Devon Conway (10). In the next over Naseem Shah struck gold with the wicket of an in-form Kane Williamson (1).
At that stage, Young and Latham put up a vital stand of 118 off 126 balls to bring New Zealand back in the game. Young contributed with 58 off 58 while Latham scored 57 (68) in the stand.
Young swept Abrar to complete his century – his first of four overseas. He was removed by Naseem after scoring 107 off 112 deliveries.
He smashed 12 boundaries and maximum.
Glenn Phillips came out to bat with just 12.4 over remaining in the innings and blasted 61-run innings off just 39 deliveries with four sixes and six fours as New Zealand went past 300.
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