Naseem's 5-57 sets up Pakistan's ODI win over New Zealand
The Hindu
Pakistan strolled to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first one-day international after fast bowler Naseem Shah took five wickets in Karachi
Fast bowler Naseem Shah took five wickets as Pakistan cruised to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international on Monday.
Naseem, aged 19, snapped up 5-57 as New Zealand was made to bat first and was restricted to 255-9.
Mohammad Rizwan, who was rested for the preceding drawn two-test series, top-scored with an unbeaten 77 off 86 balls and eased Pakistan to 258-4 in 48.1 overs.
“You enjoy your performance more when you win the match,” Naseem said. “The pitch was good for batting and initially there wasn’t much assistance for the bowlers but the (old) ball started to reverse.”
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam made 66 off 82 balls and continued his red-hot form in white-ball cricket with his 19th ODI fifty. Opener Fakhar Zaman also made a fine 56 in his comeback match from a knee injury.
New Zealand batters couldn’t convert good starts on a slow pitch against disciplined bowling by debutant legspinner Usama Mir (2-42) and Mohammad Nawaz (1-38) in the middle overs.
Naseem dismissed opener Devon Conway for a first-over duck off a full-pitched delivery as the left-hander tried to flick the fast bowler but the ball ricocheted off his back leg onto his stumps.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.