Watch: During the third ODI, at the National Stadium in Karachi, Babar Azam made a clever fielding change. Tom Latham immediately fell for the trap.
New Zealand, already 2-0 down in the five-match series, needed to chase 288 in the third ODI to keep the series alive. Will Young (33) and Tom Blundell (65) added 83 for the first wicket, but they lost wickets at regular intervals after that.
Latham (45) and Cole McConchie (64 not out) then took New Zealand to 196-5 after 41 overs. Latham tried to glance the first ball of the next over, bowled by Mohammad Wasim, but could not find a run as the ball trickled to Mohammad Rizwan.
Noticing Latham’s attempt, Babar then brought fine-leg inside the circle to prevent a single. With no one guarding the boundary, Latham shuffled across the stumps to scoop the ball over Rizwan and the fielder who was now inside the ring.
Instead, he missed the line completely, and was clean bowled.
McConchie kept the fight going after Latham fell, but the tail – Adam Milne, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry – did not contribute. Shaheen Afridi (2-53), Naseem Shah (2-42), and Wasim (2-50) took two wickets apiece as New Zealand folded for 261.
Pakistan now have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. The last two matches will be played on May 5 and 7 at the same venue.
Watch Mohammad Wasim bowl Tom Latham as per Babar Azam’s plan:
The bails go flying as @Wasim_Jnr makes a mess of the stumps! 🔥#PAKvNZ | #CricketMubarak pic.twitter.com/KedCxXHx9D
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) May 3, 2023
