Huge Pakistan batting flop in NZ ODI loss
Pakistan are lamenting a batting flop after falling to a record ODI loss to New Zealand in Dunedin - blaming a weakness against the new ball.
The tourists crashed on Saturday to 74 all out - man-of-the-match Trent Boult taking 5-17 to give his side a 183-run win and a 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
It was Pakistan's lowest total against New Zealand and the hosts' winning margin eclipsed the previous best of 138 runs when the two sides met in 2001 in Christchurch.
Captain Sarfraz Ahmed said it was very disappointing and a tough loss after they bowled well to restrict the Kiwis to 257 - which should have been attainable.
"The problems have again continued ... the batting has again flopped," he told Sky Sport.
He said they had much to work on before the fourth match on Tuesday in Hamilton.
"I think the problem is the first new ball ... we will not give so many wickets in the first 10 overs," Sarfraz said.
Left-arm quick Boult, who proved too sharp for most batsmen, told the broadcaster it was a satisfying victory after putting just 257 on the board.
"I got the wickets but I think it was a very good collective effort.
"It was nice to let it go as aggressively as I could and to see a couple carry through to Rosco (Ross Taylor) in the slips was very nice."
Earlier in the day, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and chose to bat on a slow pitch.
Williamson (73) and Taylor (52) scored half-centuries and there were also contributions from Martin Guptil (45) and Tom Latham (35). They had looked to push on at 4-209 but lost their last six wickets for 48 runs.
Pakistan's reply started terribly when Boult took three wickets for four runs in his first five-over spell. They were 3-2 and the match was effectively over.
Babar Azam (8) was unlucky when he tried to slide his bat completing a second run, but the bat dug into the ground short of the crease and he was run out.
At one stage, Pakistan were in danger of beating Zimbabwe's world-record low score of 35 but they were eight down when that milestone was avoided.
No.11 batsman Rumman Raees top-scored for Pakistan with 16 before he became Boult's fifth and final victim.
The win is New Zealand's 10th from 11 ODIs, Tests and Twenty20s at home this summer, with one T20 match against the West Indies washed out.
