New Zealand really showed their stuff in the ODI series against Pakistan, grabbing a solid 2-0 lead on Wednesday. They set a pretty good target, scoring 292 runs for eight wickets, which put them in a strong position. When it was Pakistan’s turn to bat, they struggled a bit and ended up all out for 208 runs in just over 41 overs, giving New Zealand an 84-run victory. This win not only secured the series for them but also meant one game was still to go.
There was a moment of concern for New Zealand when they lost half their team for 132 runs early in the 27th over. That’s when Mitchell Hay and Muhammad Abbas came in and really stepped up. They put together a solid partnership, adding 77 runs for the sixth wicket. Abbas played well, scoring 41 runs off 66 balls with a few nice boundaries. But it was Hay who truly stole the show with an amazing performance. He ended up not out at 99 runs from just 78 balls, hitting seven fours and seven sixes. His innings was exciting and definitely helped push New Zealand to a score that ultimately won them the match.
Read Also: Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2025 Schedule
With this innings, Hay made history too. He became only the third wicketkeeper-batter ever to finish an ODI innings on 99 not out, joining the likes of Andy Flower from Zimbabwe and Swapnil Patil from the UAE. He’s also the 16th player in ODI history to do this and the second New Zealander after Bruce Edgar who did it way back in 1981.
When Hay was interviewed after the match, he was asked if he thought about getting a century. He simply said, “That didn’t cross my mind at all. I was just swinging. It’s clear he was having fun out there and didn’t want to put too much pressure on himself. He also shared that he and Abbas had a plan to really dig in and score runs during the later stages of the innings. “We talked a lot about taking the game deep,” Hay explained. “We figured if we could get to the end, we could really make an impact. Mo batted really well, and it was great to build that partnership with him.”
Read Also: Pakistan Super League 2025: Schedule, Teams, Squad
Since making his ODI debut last November, Hay has shown he’s got the talent, scoring a total of 158 runs over four innings, averaging about 52.66, which includes a half-century. It looks like he’s got a bright future ahead in international cricket!
