Pakistan (291/5) beat New Zealand (288/7) by 5 wickets in the 1st ODI in Rawalpindi

[Snowflake]

Babar Azam: This was a team effort, we want to start well. The credit belongs to the fast bowlers for the way we restricted them in the end. As a captain, to see players respond and execute plans feels good. The way Naseem bowled put the pressure on them and them the spinners could dominate. Then the way Fakhar and Imam played, then the innings Fakhar and I build together was great to see.

Tom Latham: I think the score we got was about par. The position we were in, Daryl played a superb innings. I think the wicket got harder for new guys, but the way Pakistan played was superb. We couldn't make any inroads. A mixture of both, it got harder in the end but the two partnerships up top from Pakistan made the difference. I guess a few more wickets could have made it different, because it wasn't easy to start.

Fakhar Zaman | Player of the Match: The plan was to attack and stay long. If you survive the new ball at Pindi you must stay long. It is a very good start, the first three needs to go till 40 overs. Today was my day and hopefully Imam and Babar will also play big knocks.

This is what is wrong with Pakistan's limited over cricket. If the first 3 are going till the 40th over, what is the use of playing so many batsmen? Are they just a failsafe?

You do not need the first 3 to go till 40 overs. Because that means that none of the openers can be the aggressor and strike at 120+ They'll be worried about losing their wicket all the time.

We've got such an outdated approach to the game.

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Don't understand Shan Masood's role in the side. Chacha Ifti should be in the side not Shan Masood. Also Salman Agha needs to be assessed. If he doesn't perform he should be dropped as well.

 

[Ami]

Imam
Fakhar
Babar
Riz
???
Ifti
Shadab
Nawaz
Afridi
Rauf
Shah

Just one batter away from being very competitive...
One of Haris Sohail, Abdullah, Agha or even Imad in his current batting form.
Or, may be a wild card in M. Haris or Saim?

 

[Aman]

Missing lower order probably cost the team a total of 350.

Nicholls shouldn't be anywhere near the team and Ravindra is not a hitter.

 

[MenInG]

Highlights of the game

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[sam_ahm]

Good win for Pakistan and I hope Pakistan are seeing the value Naseem Shah brings to the table. Also the importance of having established openers like Fakhar and Imam opening the innings. A good foundation is vital to a team's success.

Shan Masood's inclusion is inevitable as long as Mickey Arthur is incharge. Arthur is shameless. Masood has been a constant failure but we can't blame him, he is playing because he is getting selected.

 

[MenInG]

Fakhar ton trumps Mitchell hundred as Pakistan win 1st ODI

April 28 (Reuters) - Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman's ninth hundred in one-day internationals trumped Daryl Mitchell's breezy century to set up the home side's five-wicket victory over New Zealand in Thursday's series opener in Rawalpindi.

New Zealand posted 288-7 with Mitchell smashing 113 of 115 balls and forging a century-plus stand with Will Young (86).

Naseem Shah was the pick of Pakistan's bowlers, conceding only 29 runs in 10 overs and claiming two wickets with the last two balls of the New Zealand innings.

Pakistan's Fakhar (117) and Imam-ul-Haq (60) combined in a strong opening stand of 124 and skipper Babar Azam contributed 49. Mohammad Rizwan remained not out on 42 as Pakistan reached the target with nine balls to go.

"The plan was to attack and stay long," said Fakhar, who was named Player of the Match.

"If you survive the new ball, you must stay (till the end)."

The idea was to have at least one of the top three batters to bat deep, he said.

"Today was my day and hopefully, Imam and Babar will also play big knocks."

Mitchell said New Zealand managed a "par score" batting first on a low wicket.

"Pakistan have got some world-class bowlers and they showed that at the end there with their death bowling," he told reporters.

"Fakhar was dangerous, he took the game on at times, took some risks and he obviously got the rewards for that."

Rawalpindi also hosts the second ODI of the five-match series on Saturday.