The cricketing rivalry between New Zealand and Pakistan is arguably one of the most thrilling ones in the world of international sporting events. The matches played between these two teams attract maximum glamour since both have a strong cricketing legacy and a history of delivering nail-bitters. In the following piece, we outline in detail a New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team match scorecard as it appeared, Head-to-Head stats, with key moments, performances, and how each team strategized to gain an edge over the other.
New Zealand Vs Pakistan Match Preview
New Zealand vs Pakistan have always been matches in which the cricketing world tuned in, as both teams have shown high levels of competitiveness and matched well in terms of skills. New Zealand does have a robust line-up with highly disciplined bowling and good all-round strength, while Pakistan celebrated its aggressive batting and unpredictable spinning skill.
Important Players to Watch
- New Zealand: Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, and Tim Southee.
- Pakistan: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan.
Toss and Pitch Report
A pitch report will go a long way in shaping up a strategy, especially for ODIs and T20 games. In New Zealand, pitches are mostly known to have some bounce and aid the seamers, whereas most Pakistani pitches are supportive to spinners. Thus, toss is crucial since the winning captain gets an opportunity either to set a target or chase one out by having their preferred pitch conditions.
New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
We closely look at the scorecard of every inning here, analyzing how teams have performed, what key partnerships have come together, and standout moments.
1st Innings: New Zealand with the Bat
New Zealand usually starts well and sets a good platform for the others through openers. Their higher order with seasoned performers like Martin Guptill or Finn Allen will provide great access to their team. Now, here is the detailed analysis of scorecard on how New Zealand might go about their batting innings: –
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Guptill | 65 | 48 | 8 | 2 | 135.42 |
| Kane Williamson | 82 | 95 | 7 | 1 | 86.32 |
| Devon Conway | 40 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 125.00 |
| Glenn Phillips | 33 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 137.50 |
Total Score: 300/8 (50 overs)
New Zealand’s reply often features a solid proportion of caution and aggression, headed by anchorman Williamson, whereas explosive hitters such as Glenn Phillips or James Neesham take over at the end.
2nd Innings: How does Pakistan chase?
Pakistan has been coming from a solid batting lineup, and it often shows strength in facing challenging totals while chasing. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are always the main contenders to stabilize the chase before the aggressive finishers Asif Ali and Shadab Khan take charge.
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 70 | 78 | 6 | 1 | 89.74 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 55 | 50 | 7 | 0 | 110.00 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 45 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 128.57 |
| Shadab Khan | 34* | 20 | 4 | 2 | 170.00 |
Total Score: 302/6 (49.3 overs)
Pakistan’s chase is always going to be a near-finish affair, with a player like Shadab Khan scoring quick runs for his team to win, partly due to his skill and also part due to his willpower.
New Zealand vs Pakistan Bowling Highlights
Bowling has been the strength of both teams, and often, the side that restricts the opponent’s score will have the winning chances. Here’s an account of the bowling display:
New Zealand Bowling Attack
New Zealand has a bowling team that is powerful, very aggressive with great pace and accuracy to force early pressure on Pakistani openers.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Boult | 10 | 47 | 3 | 4.7 |
| Tim Southee | 10 | 55 | 2 | 5.5 |
| Mitchell Santner | 10 | 60 | 1 | 6.0 |
Pakistan Bowling Attack
Pakistan’s bowling core has a great strength as an individual, Shaheen Afridi can swing the ball in both ways which is going to give the challenge to New Zealand top order.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 10 | 40 | 4 | 4.0 |
| Haris Rauf | 9 | 65 | 2 | 7.2 |
| Shadab Khan | 10 | 52 | 1 | 5.2 |
Shaheen Afridi often bursts in at a very early stage and takes Pakistan in a commanding position, allowing other bowlers like Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan to keep the pressure on.
Also read about: Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Head-To-Head New Zealand Vs Pakistan in ODI, T20I & Test
ODI
| New Zealand | Vs | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| 116 | Matches Played | 116 |
| 51 | Won | 61 |
| 61 | Lost | 51 |
| 1 | Drawn | 1 |
| 3 | No Results | 3 |
T20i
| New Zealand | Vs | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Matches Played | 44 |
| 19 | Won | 23 |
| 23 | Lost | 19 |
| 0 | Drawn | 0 |
| 2 | No Results | 2 |
Test
| New Zealand | Vs | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | Matches Played | 62 |
| 14 | Won | 25 |
| 25 | Lost | 14 |
| 23 | Drawn | 23 |
| 0 | No Results | 0 |
Key Moments and Turning Points
Now, talking about New Zealand vs Pakistan, every one of those games has turning points that change the game. Here are some hypotheticals turning points:
- Early Wickets: Trent Boult sends packing Fakhar Zaman with a swinging delivery early on, so the momentum went in favor of New Zealand.
- Crucial Partnership: A partnership between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan steadied the innings of Pakistan after the early losses.
- Late Over Hitting: Shadab Khan’s 34 runs off 20 balls, propelled Pakistan towards victory in the last overs.
Player of the Match
The player of the match is given to that player, who would make maximum impact in the game. Sometimes an impactful role is given to a player for scoring 70+ runs as was done by Babar Azam or for taking some exceptional bowling as was done by Shaheen Afridi.
Conclusion
New Zealand vs Pakistan is essentially a game of skill, resilience, and strategy. The scorecard is not about mere numbers but the story of each team’s journey within that game, the difficult partnerships that would have had to come together, the breakthrough that turned a game around, or that crucial moment when someone produced a match-changing show of skill. And so, it will be for New Zealand fans to appreciate the tactical precision with which they begin their end while that of Pakistan fans will value the fiery determination of being seen as emerging strong in that cricketing contention.
FAQs
Who has won the most matches between New Zealand and Pakistan?
Pakistan has generally won more ODIs against New Zealand, though the recent games are in New Zealand favor in few of the formats.
How important is the toss for New Zealand vs Pakistan?
It is very important in matches between New Zealand and Pakistan, especially due to variations of the conditions. Winning the toss gives the captain an opportunity to decide with regard to his team’s advantage.
How is a player preparing for New Zealand vs Pakistan matches?
Extensive study of each other’s plans, play, and key players to produce counter-strategies for smoother performance.
Also read about: Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match Scorecard, In-depth Overview
