Ton-up Daryl Mitchell (81) and bowlers powered New Zealand to a 78-run victory against Pakistan in the tri-nation series opener at the newly revamped Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing a staggering 330-6, Pakistan were bundled out for 252 inside 48th over, with Haris Rauf could not bat due to the rib pain. Fakhar Zaman (84), Salman Ali Agha (40) and Tayyab Tahir (30) were the only batters to show resistance with the bat.
Babar Azam (10), Kamran Ghulam (18), Mohammad Rizwan (3), Khushdil Shah (15), Shaheen Shah Afridi (10), Naseem Shah (13) failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.
Abrar Ahmed played an unbeaten 15-ball 23-run cameo before Shah, the last batter to depart.
For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner (3-41), Matt Henry (3-53) picked up three wickets apiece.
Michael Bracewell (2-41) took two wickets.
Glenn Phillips (1-18) took a scalp.
Will O’Rourke (0-46) and Ben Sears (0-39) remained wicketless.
Earlier, Glenn Phillips’ whirlwind and unbeaten 74-ball 106 and fifties from Daryl Mitchell (81) and Kane Williamson (58) powered New Zealand to a staggering 330-6 in the tri-nation series opener at the newly revamped Gaddafi Stadium.
Opting to bat first, the Black Caps faced an early hiccup, losing the openers (Will Young 4; Rachin Ravindra 25) for just 39. But, New Zealand batting maestro Kane Williamson played a resilient knock, studding with seven boundaries.
Daryl Mitchell treated the Pakistan bowlers with great contempt, clobbering two boundaries and four sixes to provide an impetus to the visitors’ innings.
Tom Latham could not trouble the scorecard and was dismissed without troubling the scorecard off Haris Rauf’s delivery.
But it was Phillips, who turned the tide for New Zealand, smashing six boundaries and seven sixes.
Mitchell Bracewell, played one boundary and three sixes.
Skipper Santner remained unbeaten on 5-ball 8.
For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed (2-41) was the pick of the bowlers in terms of economy rate and bagged two crucial wickets.
Shaheen Shah Afridi turned out to be quite expensive with the bowl, despite picking up three wickets. Afridi conceded 81 runs in 10 overs.’
Haris Rauf (1-21) took a scalp and was looking good with the ball, but he left the field due to the rib pain.
Salman Ali Agha (0-31), Naseem Shah (0-70), and Khushdil Shah (0-66) remained wicketless.
New Zealand will lock horns against South Africa in the second match of the tri-nation series on Monday.
