Glenn Phillips’ explosive century turned the game on its head as New Zealand secured a convincing 78-run victory over Pakistan in the first ODI of the tri-series in Lahore. Phillips smashed a 72-ball hundred, leading his team to 330/6. Pakistan’s chase, anchored by Fakhar Zaman’s 84, crumbled after his dismissal, handing New Zealand a comfortable win.
Phillips’ Late-Over Onslaught
New Zealand’s innings remained steady but unspectacular until the 44th over. Kane Williamson (58) and Daryl Mitchell (81) laid a solid foundation, but Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi (3-88) and Naseem Shah, controlled the scoring rate.
That changed when Phillips launched a brutal assault. New Zealand scored 98 runs in the last six overs, with Phillips hammering his final 77 runs in just 32 balls. His fireworks gave New Zealand a huge momentum boost heading into the innings break.
New Zealand’s Early Struggles
Opting to bat first, New Zealand lost Will Young early to Afridi. Rachin Ravindra provided a quick start but fell for 25, caught and bowled by Abrar Ahmed. Williamson played cautiously, and Mitchell initially struggled, scoring just 9 off his first 22 balls.
Mitchell then shifted gears, launching Khushdil Shah for six over the sightscreen. As he and Williamson built a century partnership, New Zealand’s run rate improved. However, Pakistan struck back with two wickets in five balls—Afridi dismissed Williamson, and the two-paced pitch deceived Tom Latham.
Mitchell, looking set for a century, fell for 81, clipping a full toss straight to midwicket. But Pakistan’s relief was short-lived, as Phillips took charge.
Phillips Unleashes Mayhem
Phillips, slow to start, had only 29 off 43 balls when he smashed Salman Agha for six. From there, he unleashed a relentless attack. He reached fifty with a nudge off Naseem in the 47th over and then took Afridi apart in the final over, scoring 25 runs to bring up his maiden ODI century.
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Fakhar’s Fight and Pakistan’s Collapse
Chasing 331, Pakistan opened with Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman. The crowd roared for Babar, but it was Fakhar who set the pace. Babar, opening in ODIs for the first time since 2015, fell cheaply to Michael Bracewell, flicking a simple catch to midwicket.
Kamran Ghulam struggled, leaving Fakhar to lead the charge. He dominated Mitchell Santner and Bracewell, racing toward a century. However, wickets kept falling at the other end, increasing the pressure.
Phillips, already the star of the match, struck again in the 24th over. He trapped Fakhar lbw for 84, ending Pakistan’s hopes. With the required run rate soaring past nine, Pakistan’s lower order had little chance.
Pakistan Fizzles Out
Tayyab Tahir and Agha attempted a brief resistance, but Bracewell’s stunning diving catch dismissed Tahir. The rest of Pakistan’s lineup crumbled. Khushdil and Agha fell to spin, and despite a late cameo from Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan couldn’t extend the fight.
Matt Henry bounced out Naseem with 13 balls left, sealing New Zealand’s dominant win. While the visitors celebrated, Rachin Ravindra’s injury after misjudging a catch cast a shadow over their victory. With this win, New Zealand looks strong ahead of the Champions Trophy.
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