Ben Sears fifer paves the way for NZ's series sweep

Ben Sears's fifer paved the way for New Zealand's comfortable 43-run win in the shortened 42-over-a-side contest against Pakistan at the Bay Oval, on Saturday, to conclude the limited-overs series with the hosts securing a three-nil victory.

Rhys Mariu led the way with a half-century after New Zealand were put in to bat. He stitched a 78-run stand with Henry Nicholls before the duo departed in quick succession. New Zealand, however, didn't lose momentum and continued building on that with Daryl Mitchell and Tim Seifert adding another half-century partnership.

Even as both made promising starts, they couldn't march along for long as Pakistan, yet again, broke the momentum with a double burst. Michael Bracewell, nonetheless, provided the late flourish, cracking six sixes in his 40-ball stay. Akif Javed, who bore most of the brunt, bagged two more wickets late in the innings to finish with a four-fer, but New Zealand's total of 264 for 8 was well above par on a pitch where wet outfield had resulted in a delayed start.

Pakistan's innings never carried that momentum. In the third over itself, Imam ul Haq was retired hurt after being hit on his jaw with a throw. He was carried off the field in a buggy ambulance. Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique made a steady start, but the slowish nature of their partnership had already creeped up the required rate. The duo added 68 runs in 13.5 overs before Shafique departed.

In the next half an hour, Usman Khan and Babar Azam too found their way back to the pavilion. It was a period when Pakistan failed to stitch big partnerships as New Zealand kept chipping away with wickets at regular intervals. Through the middle overs, in a period of 73 balls, the visitors slid from 97 for 1 to 176 for 6, leaving too much on the lower order to flourish. During this period, play was halted briefly as the lights went off.

Naseem Shah and Tayyab Tahir did try to provide that late acceleration, but by then, the required rate kept slipping out of their reach. Sears returned to the attack and snared three of the last four wickets to bundle out Pakistan for 221.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 264/8 in 42 overs (Rhys Mariu 58, Michael Bracewell 59; Akif Javed 4-62, Naseem Shah 2-54) beat Pakistan 221 in 40 overs (Babar Azam 50; Ben Sears 5-34, Jacob Duffy 2-40) by 43 runs