Pakistan’s challenging white-ball tour of New Zealand concluded on a sour note, as the hosts secured a 3-0 clean sweep in the ODI series with a 43-run win in the final match at Mount Maunganui on Saturday, 5 April.
This defeat added to Pakistan’s earlier 4-1 loss in the T20I series, leaving them without a single victory on tour.
Rain reduced the final ODI to 42 overs per side. Chasing a revised target of 265, Pakistan began brightly with Babar Azam posting a steady half-century.
However, the innings lost direction once the top order was dismissed, as New Zealand’s pace attack dominated the middle and lower order.
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After the match, skipper Mohammad Rizwan admitted that Pakistan struggled to take advantage of the conditions that were helpful for seam bowling.
Despite winning the toss in all three games and opting to bowl first, the visitors failed to make early breakthroughs.
Rizwan pointed out that the damp, green pitches in New Zealand offered ideal conditions for fast bowlers, especially in the morning.
While the home side made full use of these opportunities, Pakistan’s bowlers lacked the same sharpness and intent in the early overs.
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He also acknowledged Pakistan’s recurring pattern of losing control in the closing stages of matches.
Referring to recent tournaments like the ICC Champions Trophy and tri-series involving South Africa, Rizwan said the team often remained competitive until the final phase but was unable to finish strongly.
On the role of senior players, Rizwan admitted that both he and Babar Azam had not been able to guide the team through crucial moments.
He underlined the importance of improving game-finishing abilities to avoid repeated collapses.
With no wins on tour, Pakistan’s white-ball setup faces growing scrutiny.