NZ vs Pakistan ODI #2 - Phir zaleel ho gaye
By: Fahad Younis - April 2, 2025, 9:26 a.m.
Another day, another disaster for Pakistan cricket. If you thought the first ODI was frustrating, this one was straight-up infuriating. An 84-run loss, series gone, and the same old problems rearing their ugly heads yet again.
Pakistan won the toss – a rare W for us these days – and decided to bowl first. Seemed like a solid decision with overcast conditions and a green pitch. But what did our bowlers do? Absolutely nothing. New Zealand was 50/0 in six overs, and despite the ball moving around, our pacers just couldn’t get their lines right. So many wide balls – same as in the last match. Haris Rauf finally broke through, followed by Wasim Jr., but by then, the damage was done. Sufiyan Muqeem actually bowled well and applied some pressure in the middle overs. I’ve been crying out for his inclusion the entire tour. We saw some glimpses of his brilliance in the final T20I, which left everyone wondering how did we leave this guy out in the first 4 matches, only for him to be left out again in the first ODI. You just can’t make it up. He bowled brilliantly, taking two wickets, but that’s where the good news ends.
Then came Mitchell Hay, who Pakistan made look like prime Kohli. The guy walked in when NZ was struggling at 132/5 and proceeded to completely take over the game. He batted smartly, played out the tough overs, and then smacked our bowlers all over the park at the death. His 99* was the difference between NZ posting a barely competitive total and setting a match-winning one. To make matters worse, we let their tail stick around long enough for them to finish at 292. And what do we do? Gift them 22 runs in the last over. Classic.
Chasing 293 on this wicket was never going to be easy, but did we even try? 32/5 in no time. The entire top order fell for single digits. Ben Sears, Jacob Duffy, and Will O’Rourke absolutely demolished us, and we had no answers. I mean, this isn’t even their first-choice bowling lineup. The pitch had bounce, seam movement, and some swing. But let’s be real – good batters find a way to survive and counterattack. Ours just folded like a cheap tent.
Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah (yes, a concussion sub had to step up for us AGAIN) at least made sure we weren’t completely humiliated. Faheem hit a fighting 73, and Naseem, despite not even being a proper batter, managed a gutsy 51*. They dragged us past 200 when at one point, even that seemed like a dream. But at no stage did we ever look like we were in the game. It was damage control at best.
Where do we even go from here? The same issues keep haunting us. Batting collapses, clueless captaincy, and an overreliance on players who just don’t deliver when it matters. Our top order was obliterated within the first few overs, our bowling lacked bite at crucial moments, and the selection decisions were once again questionable. How do you justify coming into a series with such an imbalanced squad?
This loss stings, not just because we lost, but because of HOW we lost. The match was gone within the first 15 overs of each innings. No fight, no resilience, no plan. Just vibes and disappointment.
Aur kitna zaleel karwao ge Pakistan Cricket Team? The series is gone, but can we at least avoid a whitewash? Not holding my breath.
Photo credit: @TheRealPCB
Fahad Younis
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I'm not a cricket expert, nor am I a professional writer—I’m just a passionate fan of Pakistan cricket. From thrilling victories to heartbreaking losses, I follow the team through every high and low. Stumps and Dugout is my space to share thoughts, reactions, and analysis from a fan’s perspective. Whether it’s squad selections, match performances, or just the unpredictable nature of Pakistan cricket, I’m here to talk about it all.
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