Wisden’s Pakistan-New Zealand ODI team of the series

Fakhar Zaman

363 runs @ 90.75, SR: 99.45, 2 100s, HS: 180*

Fakhar Zaman was the highest scorer of the series by a distance. He scored two centuries in the first two matches of the series. The first match saw him anchoring a tricky chase of 289 for Pakistan as he scored 117 off 114 balls. By the time he was dismissed in the 43rd over, he had taken his side to a position of safety. Pakistan had an even steeper target in the second ODI, requiring 337 to win. Fakhar played the central role again, and this time he finished the game remaining not out on 180 off 144 balls.

Will Young

240 runs @ 48, SR: 95.23, 2 50s, HS: 87

Young was given the opening slot for this series in the absence of several first-choice players for New Zealand and he adapted nicely, scoring two important 80s during the course of the five-match series. The second of those, which came in the final match of the series, proved to be match-winning as it helped New Zealand post a competitive score of 299 which Pakistan failed to chase down. Even in the matches where he didn’t get the big scores, he got starts, with his lowest score of the series being 15.

Babar Azam

276 runs @ 55.20, SR: 93.24, 2 50s, 1 100, HS: 107

Babar Azam had not scored an ODI hundred for a decent amount of time coming into this series. He broke that drought in the fourth game of the series, scoring 107 off 117 balls, anchoring Pakistan’s innings and taking them to a more than decent total of 334 which the visitors failed to chase down. He also scored two fifties and one 49 to go with the hundred and had only one failure, which came in the final match of the series.

Daryl Mitchell

297 runs @ 74.25, SR: 97.05, 2 100s, HS: 129

Daryl Mitchell continued his rich vein of form in international cricket, ending up as the second-highest scorer of the series and the highest among New Zealand batters. Like Fakhar, Mitchell too scored centuries in the first two matches of the series, hitting 113 off 115 balls in the first game and 129 off 119 balls in the second. He got starts in the third and fourth matches as well, with his lowest score being 21. New Zealand will be especially happy with his form in the middle order, given the uncertainty over Kane Williamson’s participation in the ODI World Cup later this year.

Tom Latham (wk)

282 runs @ 56.40, SR: 89.52, 3 50s, HS: 98

Tom Latham has been a rock at No.5 for New Zealand for quite a while now. He displayed his prowess in this series as well, scoring three fifties in five games. His 59 off 58 balls from No.4 in the fifth match proved crucial in New Zealand setting up a target of 300 for the hosts, which they weren’t able to chase down, handing the visitors their first and only victory of the series. The highlight of the series for Latham though, was his knock of 98 in the second match where he stitched a 183-run third-wicket partnership with Mitchell.

Agha Salman

153 runs @ 38.25, SR: 107.74, 2 50s, HS: 58, 1 wicket @ 200, ER: 6.06, BBI: 1-42

Agha Salman scored two crucial fifties batting in the middle order in the last two matches of the series. The highlight of his batting was that his runs came at a rate of more than a run-a-ball as he hit a boundary every 8.35 balls. He also bowled 33 overs across the five matches in the series, and while he managed to get only one wicket, he went at 6.06 runs per over, which is not bad considering he was the sixth bowler.

Shadab Khan

35 runs @ 35, SR: 145.83, HS: 24, 3 wickets @ 56, ER: 5.79, BBI: 2-67

Shadab Khan made handy contributions with both bat and ball in the series. His cameo of 21 off 10 balls in the third ODI helped Pakistan add 25 runs off the last two overs, which proved match-defining in the end as Pakistan eventually won the game by 26 runs. He then followed it up with a miserly spell of 0-45 off his 10 overs, choking the New Zealand batters through the middle overs. He ended the series on a decent note taking two wickets in the first innings, and scoring 14 runs in the second. Pakistan would have liked him to stick around a little longer with the bat and support Iftikhar Ahmed, but wouldn’t be too disappointed with his overall returns in the series.

Usama Mir

6 wickets @ 27, ER: 5.78, 1 four-for, BBI: 4-43

Usama Mir was the highest wicket-taker in the series among spinners. He took six wickets in three games, four of which came in the fourth ODI, where he registered career-best figures of 4-43. To go with the six wickets, he also scored 20 off 15 in the fifth ODI, the only game where he batted. Like Shadab, had he stuck around for a few more overs with Iftikhar, Pakistan could well have whitewashed New Zealand.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

23 runs @ 23, SR: 255.6, HS: 23*, 8 wickets @ 24.50, ER: 5.60, BBI: 3-46

It is highly unlikely that Shaheen Afridi wouldn’t find a place in a Team of the Tournament, be it any format. He picked eight wickets in the four games he played in the series and was the second-highest wicket-taker. While he didn’t get any wickets with the new ball, he was exceptional at the death, taking six wickets in the 41-50 over phase and going at just 6.9 runs per over. Along with his efforts with the ball, Afridi also played a memorable seven-ball innings of 23 in the fourth ODI, taking viewers back to the several blistering cameos he played during the PSL earlier this year.

Haris Rauf

9 wickets @ 25, ER: 6.16, 1 four-for, BBI: 4-78

Haris Rauf was the highest wicket-taker of the series, taking nine wickets in four games. Unlike Afridi, Rauf picked wickets at the start of the innings as well, with three of his nine wickets coming inside the first 10 overs. He was a little expensive with his series economy rate being above six, but he more than made up for it with his regular wickets. His best figures of the series came in the second ODI, where he picked four wickets, albeit at the expense of 78 runs in his 10 overs.

Matt Henry

8 wickets @ 33.75, ER: 5.68, BBI: 3-54

Henry is the only New Zealand bowler in this XI. He was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors in the series, picking eight wickets in five games. After taking a solitary wicket in the first two matches of the series, he bounced back with two consecutive three-wicket hauls in the third and fourth ODI. He dismissed Fakhar Zaman, the highest-scorer of the series, and Agha Salman twice, while Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, and Babar Azam once each.