2nd ODI: Pakistan flayed, whitewashed by in-form Kiwis

Visitors trounced by 119 runs in last official match before World Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan’s World Cup preparations took a turn from bad to worse as New Zealand thumped the visitors by 119 runs in the second ODI to win the series 2-0 at the McLean Park in Napier, New Zealand.

The icing on the cake was the hosts posting their highest total against Pakistan, thanks to brilliant tons by skipper Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.

Batting first, New Zealand finished on 369-5 in their 50 overs, which is also the overall second-highest total set against Pakistan.

Skipper Brendon McCullum got the Kiwis off to a quick start with a 31-run cameo, but fell to Shahid Afridi.

Martin Guptill and Williamson then stepped up to rebuild the innings and once they settled down, both upped the gear to score quickly.

The duo put up 128 runs for the second wicket as Guptill was dismissed cheaply at mid-off after mistiming a full toss from part-timer Ahmed Shahzad after his 88-ball 76 with help of a six and eight boundaries.

However, Williamson and Taylor continued to bring in the runs and achieved a 78-run association.

Williamson top-scored with 112 with the help of a six and 14 boundaries, which came off just 88 balls before falling prey to Muhammad Irfan.

Taylor’s flurry enabled New Zealand to their mammoth total as he made an unbeaten 102 off 70 with two sixes and 13 boundaries.

Irfan was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Bilawal Bhatti set a record of the worst figures by a Pakistani bowler in ODIs as he went wicket-less and conceded 93 runs off his 10 overs. Wahab Riaz previously held the record of 93 for two wickets.

“We have to be happy with where we're at," said McCullum. "We've played, I guess, a couple of perfect games. The challenge for us now is to maintain that freshness and momentum we've built up."

In reply, Pakistan got off to a good start thanks to half-centuries from openers Ahmed Shehzad and Muhammad Hafeez as they put on a 111-run stand. However, the partnership was broken by Nathan McCullum as Shehzad fell after scoring a 62-ball 55, hitting eight boundaries in the process.

Younus Khan’s ordinary run in the ODIs continued as he was able to score only 11, and was followed by Hafeez, who looked solid during his 86-run knock, hitting three sixes and eight fours.

From there on, Pakistan completely missed the plot, needing 195 off 19.2 overs with seven wickets in hand.

They were bundled out for 260 in 43.1 overs from a stable position of 173-3 in 30.2 overs as Misbah tried to make the loss look more respectable with a 45-run effort. The quartet of Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Nathan McCullum and Geoff Elliot claimed two wickets apiece.

“We're nowhere near our best,” admitted Misbah. “We need to improve a lot in virtually everything; we need to improve our batting and bowling, and especially the death bowling.”

 

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