The recent three-match ODI series between Pakistan and New Zealand, which was part of the ICC Men’s World Cup Super League, saw both teams engage in an intense and competitive battle. Pakistan started the series off on a strong note, winning the opener by six wickets and sparing 11 balls. However, they struggled to maintain their momentum in the second match as New Zealand won by a huge margin of 79 runs. This levelled the series and set the stage for a thrilling decider.
Throughout the series, we saw some of the players rising to the occasion and delivering outstanding performances. While many players from two ends were noted as contributing significantly to the team’s efforts, some players were not able to live up to expectations. From Pakistan, pacer Haris Rauf and left-handed batter Imam ul Haq underperformed apparently, Rauf was wicketless and conceded runs in three of the matches, and Imam-ul-Haq could not score big runs in the two matches.
1 Flop Batter and 1 Flop Bowler from Pakistan
Imam ul Haq
It can be observed that in the first ODI of Pakistan vs New Zealand series, Imam-ul-Haq’s performance was not up to his usual standards, as he scored 11 runs off 14 balls. His contribution to the team’s score was not substantial and did not meet the expectations of his role as an opener. Similarly, in the second ODI, he scored 6 runs off 12 balls, again falling short of expectations. Despite his efforts, he was unable to make a significant impact on the game.
Due to these consecutive below-par performances, the team management decided to make a change in the playing XI for the last ODI of the series, leaving Imam-ul-Haq out of the team. This decision was made in the interest of the team and its objective to secure a win.
Haris Rauf
In the first ODI of Pakistan vs New Zealand series, bowler Haris Rauf struggled to make an impact on the game as he failed to take a wicket and conceded 54 runs from 8 overs. His performance was below expectations, and did not contribute significantly to the team’s efforts to secure a win.
In the second ODI, Rauf barely managed to take one wicket of bowler Ish Sodhi. However, his overall performance was not as strong as it could have been. Despite this, his economy rate was comparatively better than it was in the first ODI. In the third ODI, Rauf once again failed to take any wickets and conceded 41 runs from 7 overs. Though he didn’t have a good match, it’s important to note that even the most skilled and experienced players can have a period of poor performance.
Also, see:
Andy Flower not interested in head coach role with PCB
