New Zealand Remain Unbeaten Champions in Tri-Nation Series After Defeating Pakistan
Ahead of the Champions Trophy, New Zealand made a strong statement by clinching the Tri-Nation Series title without losing a single match. The Kiwis defeated a full-strength Pakistan side in their own backyard, winning the final and securing the series as unbeaten champions. Mitchell Santner’s team gained excellent momentum heading into the Champions Trophy.
On Friday (February 24), the final of the Tri-Nation Series featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa was held in Karachi. Just like in the group stage, New Zealand dominated Pakistan in the final, securing a commanding victory. The Kiwis defeated the hosts by five wickets in the title decider.
Pakistan’s Struggles with the Bat
Batting first with hopes of posting a big total, Pakistan suffered an early collapse. In-form batter Fakhar Zaman (10) was dismissed with just 16 runs on the board. Saud Shakeel followed soon after, scoring only 8 runs. Captain Babar Azam, who was set at the crease, lost his rhythm after these quick dismissals. On his way to jointly becoming the fastest player to reach 6,000 ODI runs, Babar scored 29 off 34 balls before getting out, leaving Pakistan struggling at 54/3.
Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, who had built a match-winning partnership against South Africa earlier, managed to stabilize the innings with an 88-run stand. Their contributions helped Pakistan reach a respectable total, though whether it was enough in a final remained debatable. Rizwan scored 46 off 76 balls, while Salman made 45 off 65.
After their dismissals, Tayyab Tahir (38 off 33), Faheem Ashraf (22), and Naseem Shah (19) helped Pakistan reach 243 before being bowled out with three balls left in the innings.
New Zealand’s young pacer William O’Rourke was the standout bowler, taking four wickets. Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner picked up two wickets each.
New Zealand’s Clinical Chase
Chasing a modest target, New Zealand started cautiously. They had an early setback when opener Will Young was dismissed for just 5. However, Kane Williamson and Devon Conway built a solid 71-run partnership to steady the innings. Williamson scored 34, while Conway made 48 before both departed in quick succession.
Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham then took control, putting together an 87-run stand that put New Zealand in a dominant position. Both batters passed the fifty-mark before getting out, with Mitchell scoring 57 and Latham 56. Glenn Phillips added 20 runs towards the end, sealing the victory with 28 balls and five wickets to spare.
For Pakistan, Naseem Shah was the most successful bowler, taking two wickets.
With this emphatic victory, New Zealand head into the Champions Trophy with great confidence, having proven their strength against top opposition.
