Naseem Shah creates history in second ODI against New Zealand

HAMILTON: Pakistan pace bowler Naseem Shah etched his name in the record books with his gutsy batting performance during the second ODI against New Zealand here at Seddon Park on Wednesday.

Despite Pakistan’s batting struggles, Naseem provided a rare spark, scoring his maiden ODI half-century and becoming the second-highest run-scorer from the No. 11 position in ODI history.

However, his efforts weren’t enough to save Pakistan from a thumping 84-run defeat, which handed New Zealand an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 293, Pakistan crumbled to 208 all out, with only Faheem Ashraf (73 off 80) and Naseem (51 off 44) offering resistance.

The duo stitched a crucial 60-run stand for the ninth wicket, briefly giving Pakistan a glimmer of hope.

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Naseem, who was initially rested due to a minor niggle, was brought in as a concussion substitute for Haris Rauf. His fearless knock, featuring four fours and four sixes, showcased his clean hitting under pressure.

His 51-run effort now stands as the second-highest individual score by a No. 11 batter in ODI history, behind only Mohammad Amir’s 58 against England in 2016.

Notably, the top three highest scores from this position all belong to Pakistani players, with Shoaib Akhtar’s 43 against England in 2003 rounding out the list.

With Pakistan already trailing 2-0 in the series, they now face the daunting task of avoiding a clean sweep in the final ODI, scheduled in Mount Maunganui on April 5.

Pakistan squad for ODI series against New Zealand

Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Haris Rauf, and Usman Khan.

READ: Haris Rauf, Salman Ali Agha rise in ICC ODI Rankings despite Pakistan’s struggles