Hamilton [New Zealand], April 2 : New Zealand secured the series against Pakistan with an emphatic 84-run victory in Hamilton on Wednesday. The Kiwis will now head to Mount Maunganui for the final ODI on Saturday, aiming for a clean sweep.
The hero of the second innings for them was arBen Ses, who delivered a stunning performance, claiming a five-wicket haul in just his third ODI. After going wicketless in his first two games, Sears emerged as the standout bowler, leading New Zealand to victory with figures of 5/59.
Chasing a target of 293, Pakistan suffered an early collapse. Will O'Rourke struck first, dismissing Abdullah Shafique for just a single. Soon after, Babar Azam followed, falling to Jacob Duffy for 1. Imam-ul-Haq also perished to Duffy, leaving Pakistan reeling at 9/3 in just 5.3 overs.
Things only got worse as Salman Agha (9) departed, making it 31/4 in 11.1 overs. Captain Mohammad Rizwan failed to anchor the innings, managing 5 runs off 27 deliveries before being dismissed.
Tayyab Tahir (13) fell to Nathan Smith, while Mohammad Wasim (1) became Sears' victim. Akif Javed was later removed by Duffy, giving the pacer his third wicket.
Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah provided some resistance, stitching together a 60-run partnership. Ashraf played a counter-attacking knock of 73 off 80 balls, while Naseem Shah contributed a fighting 51 off 44. However, it wasn't enough to rescue Pakistan from the damage inflicted by New Zealand's bowlers.
Sears led the charge with 5/59, while Duffy claimed 3/35. Will O'Rourke and Nathan Smith picked up a wicket each as Pakistan were bundled out, handing New Zealand a commanding win.
Earlier, New Zealand put up a strong batting performance, finishing with 292/8. Openers Rhys Mariu (18) and Nick Kelly (31) provided an aggressive start before Kelly fell with the score at 54/1 in 6.2 overs.
The Kiwis reached 100 in 15.3 overs but lost Daryl Mitchell (18) in the same over. Henry Nicholls (22) followed soon after, making it 102/4 in 16.5 overs.
Captain Michael Bracewell (17) was dismissed by Mohammad Wasim, leaving New Zealand in a tricky position at 132/5. However, Muhammad Abbas and Mitchell Hay steadied the innings with a crucial 77-run partnership. Abbas was eventually dismissed by Sufiyan Muqeem for 41.
Mitchell Hay played a sensational knock, ensuring New Zealand reached a competitive total. He remained unbeaten on 99 off 78 balls, hitting seven boundaries and seven sixes. His efforts earned him the Player of the Match award.
For Pakistan, Sufiyan Muqeem (2/33) and Mohammad Wasim (2/78) were the pick of the bowlers.
With the series already won, New Zealand will now look to complete a 3-0 whitewash when they take on Pakistan in the final ODI on Saturday.