Mohammad Rizwan opens up after loss in first ODI against New Zealand

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Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan reflected on his team’s disappointing defeat to New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at McLean Park on Saturday.

During the post-match conference, Rizwan shared his thoughts on the team's performance:

"The way we started the second innings—we played with good intent and executed the essentials needed for a chase. We got close, but as the pressure mounted, the momentum shifted in those critical three to four overs," Rizwan said.

He praised the bowlers for their early efforts, saying, "Our bowlers were fantastic at the start. They adapted well to New Zealand’s conditions and bowled remarkably. The decision to bowl first was the right one. However, Chapman played brilliantly, helping New Zealand post a competitive total. We need to improve more on capitalizing on key chances."

Rizwan also highlighted the positives, including the introduction of new players into the team: "Having three debutants today was great for their growth. Playing in New Zealand’s challenging conditions is a valuable experience," he added. 

Despite the loss, Rizwan remained optimistic: "The result wasn’t what we wanted, but we have two more chances. We’ll regroup and come back stronger," he further added. 

Pakistan lost the series opener by 73 runs, despite commendable efforts from Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha.

Chasing a daunting target of 345, Pakistan started well with debutant Usman Khan and Abdullah Shafique putting together an 83-run opening partnership. Both openers played aggressively, giving Pakistan a solid start.

However, Nathan Smith broke the partnership in the 13th over, dismissing Usman for 39. In the 16th over, captain Michael Bracewell sent Abdullah back for 36, leaving Pakistan at 88-2.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan then stitched together a crucial 76-run stand to keep Pakistan in the chase. However, debutant Muhammad Abbas dismissed Rizwan for 30 in the 29th over, leaving Pakistan at 164-3.

Babar, determined to anchor the innings, partnered with Salman Ali Agha for an 85-run stand. Babar made a fluent 78, reaching his 36th ODI fifty before falling to Will O’Rourke in the 39th over, shifting the momentum in New Zealand’s favor.

Pakistan's collapse began after Babar’s dismissal. Tayyab Tahir was run out, and Irfan Khan Niazi was dismissed for a golden duck, leaving Pakistan struggling at 253-6.

Smith continued his brilliant performance with the ball, removing Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf in the 43rd over. Jacob Duffy then dismissed Salman Ali Agha for a fighting 58, and Akif Javed was the last man out, as Pakistan were all out for 271 in 44.1 overs.

Smith was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 4-60. Duffy supported with two wickets, while Bracewell, Abbas, and O’Rourke took one wicket each, securing New Zealand’s dominant win.

Earlier, New Zealand had a rocky start after being put in to bat. Naseem Shah made an immediate impact, dismissing Will Young for 1 in the third over. Debutant Akif Javed then took the wickets of Nick Kelly for 15 and Henry Nicholls for 11, leaving New Zealand in trouble at 50-3 in the 13th over.

However, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell turned the game around with a brilliant 199-run partnership. Chapman’s aggressive batting earned him his third ODI century in the 38th over, where he hit 13 fours and six sixes. Mitchell supported well with a steady 76 before falling to Irfan Niazi. Their record-breaking partnership of 199 runs lifted New Zealand to a commanding position.

Chapman eventually fell for a career-best 132, while Haris Rauf and Niazi struck late to break the lower order. But debutant Mohammad Abbas’s blistering 50 off just 24 balls helped New Zealand surpass 300 runs.

Pakistan’s bowlers showed fight, with Niazi taking 3 wickets for 51 runs. Rauf and Akif each took two wickets, while Naseem Shah and Mohammad Ali took one wicket each.

New Zealand’s comprehensive win puts them in a strong position in the series, with the second ODI set to be played on Wednesday, April 2, at Hamilton.