that will be that! Pakistan win by 26 runs! Full and angled into the stumps. McConchie shanks it towards long on and Henry decides that he wants to go back for the second. The fielder, though, is alert enough to pick it up cleanly and fire it at the bowler's end. Naseem does the rest and Henry, despite the dive, is well short of his ground!
Pakistan vs New Zealand, 3rd ODI at Karachi, PAK v NZ, May 03 2023 - Match Result
11:48pm Right. That will be that from us for tonight. Pakistan have now taken an unassailable lead in this series but as Babar said, they want to use these next two games to put in two more strong displays. Do join us when these teams convene again on Friday but until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Rvel, Sudeep and everyone at ESPNcricinfo! Goodbye, goodnight and take care!
Imam-ul-Haq, Player of the Match: (On his partnership with Fakhar) When you play for the last six years with the same opener, it helps. We knew these wickets would not be the same as Rawalpindi wickets, so it was important to give respect. We knew it was a 280-290 track. We are planning and so far, it has been very good for us (Fakhar and me). Me and Babar were talking about getting a good partnership. If we got out, it would be difficult for the middle order. We were thinking of 260 but it helped to get to a good position after 40 overs.
Babar Azam, Pakistan captain: The pitch was a little slow but the partnership that Imam and I built. Then, the way Rizwan played and the way Shadab finished - it got us up to 280. The bowlers were also outstanding. Shadab and Nawaz started well but unfortunately Nawaz got hit. Agha bowled nine overs and that was outstanding. In ODIs, we are trying to chase 350 and trying to defend 300 as well. That is what we are trying to do day by day. Focus is now to not relax and come out strongly for the next two matches. (On bench strength) We tried to do it in the second game and we tried communicating that. We did that in T20Is as well and hopefully we can do that moving forward, with back-to-back series. Hopefully we can continue to give our 100%.
Tom Latham, New Zealand captain: It (the pitch) probably slowed up a little bit. Just a couple of partnerships here and there, and things could have been a little different. We struggled a touch in the middle. At the half-way mark, we were happy and the bowlers certainly improved after the first two games. From a batting point of view, we had a really good start. We just could not continue that momentum after we lost a couple of wickets. When you are chasing scores like that, you need back-to-back partnerships. We were not quite at our best (from a batting point of view) today.
11:26pm That turned into a fairly comfortable victory for Pakistan in the end. That, though, did not seem to be the case when New Zealand's openers were going strong. Once Young fell, courtesy of some brilliant Pakistan fielding, the hosts established a foothold. Their spinners tightened the screws and it built pressure on the Kiwis.
That pressure told as Blundell ran himself out and Mitchell perished trying to clear the fence. Latham tried his best to take the game deep but without much support from his middle order, departed in the 42nd over. McConchie, on debut, notched up a fifty and played a few attractive strokes. The Black Caps, however, were well behind in the game by then.
Pakistan, meanwhile, would be pleased with how they bowled. They were not very effective in the powerplay but stuck to their lines and lengths in the middle phases. The wickets were shared and whenever New Zealand tried to up the ante, Pakistan held their nerve.
Naseem to bowl the final over. NZ need 28
slower delivery on a length outside off stump. McConchie almost swings himself off his feet but can only chop it back towards the keeper
full delivery on leg stump. Henry backs away and drills it down the ground towards long off for a single
Henry is the last batter in
sizzling yorker and it gets the better of Sodhi! Excellent yorker that hones in on off stump. Sodhi tries to jam it out into the off side but is late on the stroke. The ball whistles past the bat before smashing into off stump!
back of a length delivery at the stumps that gets big on McConchie. He has a swipe at it anyway and splices it towards deep mid wicket
31 off 10 now! In the slot on middle and off stump. McConchie clears his front leg and razes it between deep mid wicket and long on!
35 off 11 now. Shaheen continues from around the wiicket
very full delivery outside off stump. McConchie lets it go thinking he will get the wide call but the ball has snuck just inside the tramlines
angled into the pads again. McConchie uses the pace and helps it behind square on the leg side to retain strike
full delivery down the leg side. McConchie does not get bat on it as the umpire calls it a wide
full delivery fired into the batter just outside leg stump. McConchie has a swing at it but does not make any contact whatsoever
McConchie continues on his merry way! Full delivery outside off stump. McConchie throws his hands at it and slices it over backward point
length delivery on off stump. Sodhi tips it into the off side and McConchie calls him through for the single. Makes it eventually because of the fielder missing his throw
yorker on middle and off stump. Sodhi comes half forward and clinks it towards extra cover
Sodhi in at 10
holes out to deep mid wicket! Half-tracker outside off stump, and Shipley, trying to clear deep mid wicket, gets a very good piece of it. The only problem, though, is that he does not quite get the elevation he is after. Arrows it towards deep mid wicket, where Wasim runs to his right and holds on to a sharp chance!
42 needed off 18 now. NZ are not completely out of it but you would back Pakistan to win from here more often than not. Naseem to bowl the 48th
length delivery just outside off stump. Shipley cloths it towards mid off. The ball bounces and nearly spins away but Shadab does well to fling out his right palm and rein it in
yorker on middle and leg stump. McConchie gets his front foot out of the way and hacks it towards deep mid wicket
full and on off stump. Shipley pushes it towards mid off and dashes across to the other end
yorker outside off stump. McConchie gets his bat down in time and digs it out towards extra cover
Around the wicket now
into the stands! Slower delivery that lands right in the slot outside off stump. McConchie winds up and wallops it well over the deep mid wicket fence! Gets to fifty too, in his debut ODI innings!
Back to over the wicket
full delivery on middle and leg stump. Shipley plants his front foot and drives it down the ground towards long on
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
National Stadium, Karachi | |
Toss | New Zealand, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2023 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | Pakistan led the 5-match series 3-0 |
Match number | ODI no. 4573 |
Hours of play (local time) | 15.30 start, First Session 15.30-19.00, Interval 19.00-19.40, Second Session 19.40-23.10 |
Match days | 3 May 2023 - daynight (50-over match) |
ODI debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |