KARACHI: Having sealed the five-match One-day International series against New Zealand with a 26-run win over the visitors in the third match on Wednesday, Pakistan can now look forward to putting the icing on the cake.

If the Babar Azam-led hosts go onto take the remaining two matches and the series 5-0, they will jump up to the top of the ICC ODI Rankings — an achievement that would boost their confidence ahead of the World Cup later this year.

Confidence, after all, would be the most important for Pakistan going into the showpiece in India. To uphold it, the side will avoid making many changes before the World Cup and back the team combination they have established.

Pakistan lost middle-order batter Haris Sohail to injury just ahead the start of the series and have replaced him with Abdullah Shafique at number four with Mohammad Rizwan dropping to number five.

There had been concerns over both spots and over the absence of a expert power-hitter in the lower middle order. But a crucial knock by Agha Salman at number six in the third ODI and a quickfire cameo from Shadab Khan put rest to those apprehensions.

“We don’t have enough time to do experiments,” Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq, whose contribution of 90 runs proved the match-winning one for Pakistan on Wednesday, said during the post match press conference. “Agha, [Mohammad] Nawaz and Shadab provide enough power-hitting prowess.

“All we need to do is giving them more confidence. It’s very difficult to come at number five and six and score big runs during the death overs. “Agha chipped in with a crucial 32 today, got two wickets and bowled really well, Nawaz and Shadab are great hitters of the ball, so I think it’s important to go into big events with confidence.”

Imam’s observation hinted Pakistan may not give players on the bench time to prove themselves in the last two ODIs, also set to be played here at the National Stadium on Friday.

The bespectacled batter, however, believed that Pakistan could be better in the field. They dropped three catches in the third ODI, which could have potentially cost them the series.

“Our fielding is something that we have talked about recently; it’s not up to the mark,” Imam said. “I’m not giving an excuse but we are playing one-dayers after three months.

“We have trained really hard in this heat on our fielding and we are hoping for better performances in the fielding department.

“Fielding and fitness are the departments I feel we can get better in because we have to avoid dropped catches.

The 27-year-old also felt the Pakistan bowlers needed to be lethal in the middle overs

“Secondly, I feel we aren’t taking enough wickets between the 11th and 35th over,” noted Imam. “In this period if our spinners get wickets I think it will be very helpful for us.”

NZ SEEK CONSOLATION

Pakistan have won an ODI series against New Zealand for the first time in 12 years. But that was also down to the Black Caps squad depleted due to the absence of their first choice players, most of whom are featuring in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

However, the gap in quality is also because Pakistan’s high quality as a white-ball outfit. Despite losing the first three matches, a young New Zealand side punched above its weight to challenge the hosts but couldn’t do enough to get a result.

“I think if you look at the Pakistan side they’re a very good side and we’re missing a few of our senior players,” said New Zealand batter Tom Blundell, who scored his maiden ODI half-century on Wednesday. “We’ve come close in the series, we just haven’t got over the line but full credit to Pakistan.

Debutant all-rounder Cole McConchie battered the Pakistan bowlers for an unbeaten counterpunching 64 off 45, which could have taken the game away from the hosts had it not been for an expert finishing performance by the Pakistan pacers.

“I think if you look at the series, you’ve got a few guys who have been given opportunities and if you look at Cole McConchie today I thought he was outstanding,” said Blundell.

“It’s tough when you go back-to-back games but there’s a lot of positives throughout the group we just haven’t quite played that perfect performance but we’re going to take a day off tomorrow and reflect on today and hopefully come back stronger and put out some good performances in the last two games.”

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023