New Zealand convincingly defeated Pakistan by 78 runs in the first ODI of the tri-nation series at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Saturday.
While chasing a sizeable target of 331, Pakistan were folded for 252. No batter, barring Fakhar Zaman (84), Salman Ali Agha (40), and Tayyab Tahir (30), could resist Kiwi̵7;s strong bowling lineup.
Babar Azam, who opened the innings with Fakhar Zaman, departed for just 10 runs, while the skipper Mohammad Rizwan scored only three runs.
Kamran Ghulam (18), Khushdil Shah (15), and Naseem Shah contributed with 13 runs. Abrar Ahmed played a little cameo of 23* (15) at the end, while Haris Rauf did not bat due to injury.
Earlier, Glenn Phillips cracked a maiden century to lift New Zealand to 330-6.
Phillips hit 106 not out from 74 balls, with seven sixes and six boundaries, after New Zealand won the toss and batted. He was ably supported by Daryl Mitchell with 81 and Kane Williamson (58).
Phillips added a quickfire 54 off just 47 balls with Michael Bracewell for the sixth wicket. Bracewell scored 31 from 23 balls, with three sixes.
New Zealand plundered 123 runs in the last 10 overs, including 84 from the final five.
Phillips smashed a boundary and two sixes off pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to reach his hundred off 72 balls, taking 25 in the 50th over.
Shaheen ended up with expensive figures of 3-88 from his 10 overs, although he gave Pakistan an early breakthrough by removing opener Will Young for four with the fourth ball of the match.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed had opener Rachin Ravindra caught and bowled for 25 but Williamson and Mitchell then added 95 off 112 balls to rebuild the innings.
Williamson hit seven boundaries in his 46th half-century, his first one-day international since November 2023, before edging Shaheen to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
