PAK vs NZ: Watch - Ish Sodhi Takes A Blinder Off His Own Bowling To Remove Fakhar Zaman

Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman didn’t have the kind of outing he would’ve wanted in the middle order for the team against New Zealand. The first match of the five-match series between the teams took place at Eden Park in Auckland. 

Pakistan were set a massive target of 227 runs to chase in the first game. The team opened with Saim Ayub (27) and Mohammad Rizwan (25). The duo gave their side a great start to the team but couldn’t convert the start they got and were back in the hut at a crucial stage. 

After both of them got out, it was expected that Fakhar Zaman would take the onus to himself and would carry on the start given to the team by openers. The batter looked good as he played a few good shots but his innings at the crease were cut short by the brilliance of Ish Sodhi with both ball as well as catching. 

During the first ball of the 9th over, Ish Sodhi bowled a low full toss to which Fakhar Zaman chipped it back at the bowler. The leg-spinner, who was in his follow through showed great reflexes and grabbed the ball with his left hand. He got low to catch the ball and send the batter packing. 

 Watch – Ish Sodhi Takes A Blinder

Fakhar Caught by sodhi#PAKvsNZ pic.twitter.com/4oQmSOMCIg

— Mughl e Azam (@mughleazamtv) January 12, 2024

Fakhar Zaman scored 15 runs off 10 balls in his innings. He batted with a strike rate of 150 and also hit 1 four and 1 six in his innings. His wicket left Pakistan tottering at 90/3. The batter was livid with himself after he handed a catch to the bowler on a full toss delivery. 

PAK vs AUS: After Fakhar Zaman perishes, Pakistan lose wickets in clusters; suffer 46-run defeat 

After, the wicket of Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan lost wickets in clusters as New Zealand were all over them. As soon as Fakhar got out, Iftikhar Ahmed took the crease. He looked in great nick but he followed his teammates as was another batter who got stars but got out at a crucial stage. 

Iftikhar Ahmed scored 24 runs off 17 balls before Azam Khan came to bat. The keeper-batter looked scratchy during his stay at the crease and could manage just 10 runs. With wickets falling at the other end quickly, Babar Azam took charge and played aggressively. 

Babar Azam counter-attacked the New Zealand bowlers and brought up a valiant half-century. The former skipper, however, couldn’t take his team to the win. In an attempt to hit big shots, he ended up giving his wicket to Ben Sears and was caught by Kane Williamson. 

Skipper Shaheen Afridi promoted himself up the order in search of quick runs. But the move failed as he bagged a two-ball duck. New Zealand bowlers then wrapped up the tailenders quickly and won the match by 46 runs to take a lead of 1-0 in the series. 

Pakistan could manage just 180 runs and lost the game by a big margin. For New Zealand, Tim Southee was the pick of the bowlers with his figures of 4/25. The fast bowler also completed 150 wickets in the shortest format of the game for the Black Caps.