Mount Maunganui [New Zealand] April 5 : Ben Sears's second five-wicket haul on the trot inspired New Zealand (NZ) to whitewash Pakistan (PAK) with a 3-0 ODI series triumph, following their 43-run success in the third and final clash of the series at Bay Oval on Saturday.
New Zealand skipper Michael Bracewell felt pleased with the Black Caps' 3-0 win and the new players' performance. He emphasized the importance of maintaining their playing style and attention to detail, which he believed contributed to their success. He highlighted the significance of winning the series while focusing on the team's commitment to executing their game plan.
"When you add a few new guys into the mix, you always want to do well. Pleasing to win 3-0 as it is to see guys coming in and performing and doing all they are asked off and playing the way that we want to play. As a Black Caps unit, we have a clear style about how we want to play and the little things that could probably go unnoticed to a lot of people. We want to make sure that we nail those things, and I feel like we have done that in this series. We are obviously playing to win, and to win the series is massively important, but those little things are also very important to this group. It's great to see everyone coming in and doing it straightaway." Michael Bracewell said in the post-match presentation.
Bracewell praised his bowling attack and was impressed with their pace, aggression, and use of height and bounce, particularly Jacob Duffy, Bean Sears, and Will O'Rourke. They performed well on sporting wickets and contributed to the team's success by securing an above-par total and effectively defending it. The bowlers' calmness and ability to adapt were key to their victory.
"(On the Pacers) It was the same in the T20 series; they carried through to the ODIs. It was pretty amazing to watch them on some pretty sporting wickets, but that takes nothing away from the way they bowled. They were fast and aggressive and used their height and bounce, which was outstanding. Amazing to see the young crop come through led by Jacob Duffy and Bean Sears and Will O'Rourke. It was great to see different guys step up at different times. We stayed nice and calm. We just found a way to get ourselves to an above-par total and then the way that the bowlers bowled, it was always going to be enough." he added.
Batting first New Zealand tested their depth to blaze their way to a competitive 264/8 on the board, In a 42-over-reduced game due to a wet outfield, Pakistan's pursuit of a 265-run target which Pak eventually failed to chase after being bowled by NZ for 221 in 40 overs, NZ skipper Michael Bracewell was awarded player of the match for his brilliant fifty and one wicket.