• Source:JND
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PAK vs NZ ODI Tri-Nation Series Final: Pakistan scripted history by recording their highest-ever run chase in the 50-over format with six balls remaining against South Africa and thus qualified for the summit clash, where they put up a disappointing show and New Zealand won their first tournament in Pakistan. It was a below-par performance after experiencing a record-breaking day. They are quite unpredictable sometimes. They tend to keep both their opponents and the fans on the edge.

This began when Pakistan skipper Mohammed Rizwan chose to bat on a surface and that too they were playing under lights. "We batted first because we thought the pitch would be difficult. And it was. Credit to their bowlers. Salman and I had to build the partnership after losing 3 wickets. We were looking at 260. I got out at the wrong time," Rizwan told broadcasters during the post-match presentation.

The Men in Green fell short of chasing the target by just 18 runs. It didn't matter much as those runs wouldn't have made much of a difference as New Zealand chased down the target of 243 runs in 45.2 overs. They ended up losing the match due to their shoddy fielding efforts and rash decision-making skills.

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The Pakistan bowlers had bowled 16 wides when they were defending a target of 242 runs, just a few days before playing against the same team during the tournament opener of the upcoming mega-event. While fielding they dropped New Zealand's Tom Latham's catch and then didn't even take the DRS review and thus helped him bounce back to form after getting out on ducks twice during the recently concluded series. He could have gotten out after scoring 15 and 27 runs.

The fielders didn't drop his catch twice and then didn't even take a review for lbw as the replay showed that leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed could have changed the on-field umpire's decision. Latham was fortunate when he took the review after Shaheen Shah Afridi took his catch. He scored his fifty off 60 balls.

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Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell had stitched a match-winning partnership of 87 runs and went all guns-blazing against spinners by playing sweep shots but then both of them were dismissed later on while chasing.

"He (Latham) is pretty relieved as well. We know how good he is and it was just a matter of time. It was nice for different guys to fire as well" Mitchell Santner told broadcasters during the post-match presentation. New Zealand opener Devon Conway had scored yet another gritty knock of 48 runs whereas Rachin Ravindra gave the match a miss as he had sustained an injury during the series opener.

Rizwan was enquired about their fielding efforts, especially when Salman Agha had taken a stunning catch to dismiss South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke in their last game and he admitted that it is one area where they need to work. "Need to improve in the field. It's one department where we have to improve. Abrar is brilliant in the field, the others also have to catch up," Rizwan said.

The Mohammed Rizwan-led side will lock horns with New Zealand during their tournament opener of Champions Trophy 2025 in Karachi on 19th February and will then face arch-nemesis India in Dubai on 23rd February.