Fakhar Zaman hundred helps Pakistan ace 289 chase

PAKISTAN cruised to a comfortable win against New Zealand in the first ODI of the five-match series at Rawalpindi. Daryl Mitchell starred with the bat for New Zealand, scoring an imperious hundred, aided by a belligerent 86 by Will Young.

However, New Zealand failed to get the final impetus to get past the 300 mark. Pakistan, in response, eased to the target, with the help of their in-form top order.

Earlier, Pakistan had won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat, and the Kiwis started off sedately, but a 102-run stand between Daryl Mitchell (113) and Will Young (86), set things up nicely.

Will Young was the first to go, but the untimely wicket of Mitchell in the 47th over, and regular wickets in the slog overs prevented the Kiwis to get past the 300-run mark. Naseem Shah was the pick of the bowlers, conceding only 29 runs and picking up 2 wickets in his spell of ten overs.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 288-7 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 113, Will Young 86, Naseem Shah 2-29, Shaheen Afridi 2-63) lost to Pakistan

291-5 in 50 overs(Fakhar Zaman 117, Imam-ul-Haq 60, Adam Milne 2-60) by 5 w Pakistan started the chase of 289 solidly, despite the Zaman edge that went unnoticed off Milne in the second over. The left-handed pair of Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman creamed the bowlers all around the park in a century stand, with each of