Chapman’s Century and Smith’s Four-Wicket Haul Power New Zealand to ODI Victory Over Pakistan

New Zealand dominated the first One Day International against Pakistan at Napier, securing a comprehensive 73-run victory. Mark Chapman’s magnificent century (132 off 111 balls) and Nathan Smith’s impactful four-wicket haul propelled the hosts to a 1-0 lead in the series. New Zealand posted a challenging 344 for 9, thanks to Chapman’s career-best knock, ably supported by Daryl Mitchell’s 76 and debutant Muhammad Abbas’s explosive 52 off just 24 balls. Pakistan, in response, were bowled out for 271 despite promising fifties from Babar Azam (78) and Agha Salman (58).

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to field, hoping to exploit any early movement. Initially, the decision seemed justified as New Zealand’s top order struggled against the pace of Naseem Shah. Will Young, debutant Nick Kelly, and Henry Nicholls all departed cheaply, leaving the hosts precariously placed. However, the middle-order partnership between Chapman and Mitchell proved to be the turning point. The pair added 199 runs for the fourth wicket, rebuilding the innings and laying the foundation for a late surge. Chapman’s innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression, highlighted by a pair of imperious backfoot sixes off Agha Salman. Mitchell provided solid support, rotating the strike effectively and punishing the loose deliveries.

The final 15 overs saw a dramatic acceleration in the New Zealand innings, with 166 runs added. Abbas’s blistering cameo, including a stunning six over cover off Shaheen Afridi, further demoralized the Pakistan attack. His record-breaking fifty was the fastest by a New Zealand player on ODI debut, injecting significant momentum into the innings.

Pakistan’s chase began with a steady opening partnership between Usman Khan and Abdullah Shafique. However, Smith’s introduction into the attack proved decisive. Usman’s vulnerability against the short ball was exposed, and he miscued a pull shot to be caught. Shafique followed soon after, leaving Pakistan at 53 for 2. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan then combined for a 76-run partnership, offering a glimmer of hope for the visitors. However, Abbas struck a crucial blow, dismissing Rizwan to break the partnership. Agha Salman joined Babar, and the pair threatened to take the game away from New Zealand with a measured partnership. They brought the required run rate under control, but the dismissal of Babar, caught at deep mid-wicket off Blair Tickner, triggered a dramatic collapse. Pakistan lost three wickets for just four runs in the final stages, including a clumsy run-out and quick dismissals at the tail. Smith returned to clean up the lower order, securing a comfortable victory for New Zealand.

While Babar and Salman showed resilience, Pakistan’s inability to maintain momentum in the middle and lower order ultimately cost them the match. New Zealand’s bowlers, led by Smith, executed their plans effectively, exploiting the pressure situations and capitalizing on Pakistan’s mistakes. “We were pleased with the way we fought back after a tough start,” said New Zealand captain Tom Latham after the match. “Mark’s innings was special, and the contributions from Daryl and Muhammad were crucial. We now look forward to building on this performance in the next game.”