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

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan shared his thoughts following his team’s 84-run defeat in the second ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand at Seddon Park on Wednesday.

In the post-match presentation, Rizwan acknowledged the challenges his team faced, admitting that they did not perform up to expectations. 

“It is sore, but it’s part of the game. We didn’t do well today. We didn’t utilize the swing effectively, and New Zealand bowled very well. Later on, Faheem and Naseem fought hard for us. These are challenging conditions, but we can’t make excuses. We are professional cricketers, and we need to do something different,” he said.

Rizwan also gave credit to New Zealand's disciplined bowling attack, stating, "The bowlers of New Zealand were very disciplined; they bowled the hard lengths. In the last couple of months, we’ve lost key moments. Today, we didn’t perform well with the ball or the bat in the first 10 overs. Credit to Mitch Hay as well; the way he batted was amazing.”

Looking ahead to the next match, Rizwan added, “We don’t know much about the pitch in Tauranga, but we’ll have to adapt.”

Chasing a target of 293, Pakistan’s innings faltered right from the start as they crumbled under pressure from a disciplined New Zealand bowling attack. Early wickets fell quickly, with Abdullah Shafique (1 off 11), Imam-ul-Haq (3 off 12), and Babar Azam (1 off 3) all dismissed cheaply by New Zealand's pacers. 

With the top order struggling, Mohammad Rizwan (5 off 27) and Salman Ali Agha (9 off 15) could not provide the much-needed stability, leaving Pakistan at a perilous 32-5. Tayyab Tahir (13 off 29) briefly tried to rebuild, but New Zealand’s bowlers remained relentless, ensuring that Pakistan could never gain momentum.

Faheem Ashraf, however, showed grit and determination, scoring a brilliant half-century in an attempt to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive. But as wickets continued to tumble, with Mohammad Wasim Jr. (1 off 2) and Akif Javed (8 off 7) falling, Pakistan found themselves at 114-8 in the 29th over. 

In a further blow, Haris Rauf suffered a concussion after being struck on the head, forcing his exit from the match. Naseem Shah came in as a concussion replacement and, alongside Faheem Ashraf, put together a crucial 60-run partnership for the ninth wicket, taking Pakistan to 174-8 in 38 over. 

Despite a brave knock from Naseem, who reached his maiden ODI fifty off 41 balls, Pakistan’s chase ultimately fell short. Faheem Ashraf was dismissed for 73 off 80 balls, leaving Pakistan at 174-9. The innings concluded at 208 all out in 41.2 overs, with Ben Sears taking a five-wicket haul, including dismissing Naseem for 51.

Earlier, New Zealand posted 292 in their innings, with debutant Rhys Mariu and Nick Kelly providing a strong start with a 54-run opening stand. However, Pakistan’s bowlers fought back, with Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Wasim Jr taking key wickets. Despite New Zealand losing wickets in the middle overs, Mitchell Hay’s late blitz helped them reach a competitive total. 

New Zealand's dominant bowling performance and early breakthroughs set up a commanding win, taking an unassailable 2-0 series lead. The final match of the series will be played on Saturday, April 5.