New Zealand beat Pakistan by 183 runs, clinch 3-0 series

DUNEDIN: Right-arm speedster Trent Alexander Boult produced an outstanding spell of consistent fast bowling to lead the New Zealand to a 183-run victory over Pakistan in the third one day international as the hosts clinch the five matches series with 3-0 on Saturday.

Boult’s 5-17 in seven overs reduced Pakistan to 74 all out in 27.2 overs in Dunedin as openers Azhar Ali (0) and Fakhar Zaman (2) were dismissed early by Boult.

Green Shirts collapsed inexplicably in the third match with one of the lowest totals ever scored in the ODI matches.

Veterans Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez and young Shadab Khan were all bowled out on duck. Struggling Babar Azam was run out at 8, while Shoaib Malik managed a cautious 3 before getting out.

The tailenders offered some resistance to Boult as Rumman Raees was the top scorer with 16 runs off 15 until he got dismissed again by Boult. Mohammad Amir and the Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (not out) were the second top scorer with 14 runs.

Boult, the burly fast bowler, earned the Man of the Match award for sending five Pakistani batsmen back to pavilion with a 2.31 per over economy.

Earlier, half-centuries by Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor helped New Zealand to 257 in the face of a sharply improved performance by Pakistan in the field, after New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first.

With the tourists needing to win to keep the series alive after losing the first two ODIs, they pinned New Zealand down at key times.

In the last eight overs, when New Zealand needed to lift the run rate, they were restricted to 48 runs and lost seven wickets of which 11 runs came in the final over.

Williamson, who uncharacteristically struggled to penetrate the field for much of his innings, made 73 but it took 101 deliveries to get there.

Taylor made 52 off 64 for his 57th ODI half-century, equalling the New Zealand record held by Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle.

Rumman Raees returned figures of three for 51, Hasan Ali took three for 59 and Shadab Khan took two for 51 with his wickets coming of successive balls.

New Zealand made a flying start with Martin Guptill and Colin Munro cracking sixes for their first scoring shots but the innings stalled soon after.