Latham and Mitchell Scored Fifties to Help New Zealand Win the Tri-Nation Series After Bowlers Restricted Pakistan

Venue, Toss & Playing XIs

Venue

The final match of the Tri-Nation Series 2025 was played in Karachi, Pakistan.

Toss

Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first.

Playing XIs

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Will O’Rourke.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Muhammad Rizwan (c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan Innings (1st Innings)

Pakistan’s start in the final was not good. Fakhar Zaman got out early, scoring just 10 runs, as Will O’Rourke dismissed him. Pakistan lost their first wicket at 16 runs. Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel tried to stabilize the top order but could not build a big partnership. They added 30 runs in 29 balls, but Saud Shakeel got out for just 8 runs, caught off Michael Bracewell’s bowling. Pakistan lost their second wicket at 46 runs. Babar Azam also couldn’t stay long. He added just 8 more runs with Rizwan before getting out for 29 runs, dismissed by Nathan Smith. Pakistan was struggling at 54 for 3, which put them under pressure.
Captain Muhammad Rizwan and Salman Agha took charge of the innings. However, New Zealand bowlers kept the pressure on, preventing easy boundaries. Rizwan and Salman Agha built an 88-run partnership in 120 balls, helping Pakistan recover. But Rizwan got clean bowled by O’Rourke after scoring 46 runs. After Rizwan’s dismissal at 142 runs for 4 wickets, Salman Agha also got out soon, caught while playing a reverse sweep off Bracewell’s bowling. He made 45 runs.
After this, Pakistan failed to form big partnerships. Tayyab Tahir played an aggressive innings, scoring 38 runs, but Duffy dismissed him. Other batters struggled: Khushdil Shah (7), Faheem Ashraf (22), Shaheen Shah Afridi (1) all got out cheaply. However, a 39-run partnership between Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah helped Pakistan reach a total of 242 runs in 49.3 overs.

New Zealand Bowling

New Zealand bowlers performed exceptionally well, keeping Pakistan under pressure throughout the innings. Will O’Rourke took 4 wickets, while Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner took 2 wickets each. Jacob Duffy and Nathan Smith also contributed with 1 wicket each.

New Zealand Reply (2nd Innings)

Chasing 243 runs, New Zealand also had a shaky start. Naseem Shah dismissed opener Will Young for just 5 runs. Kane Williamson and Devon Conway then built a strong 71-run partnership, controlling Pakistan’s bowlers effectively. However, Salman Agha broke this stand, dismissing Williamson for 34 runs. New Zealand was 76 for 2. Conway and Mitchell continued the chase with a 32-run partnership, but Conway fell just 2 runs short of his fifty (48), dismissed by Naseem Shah.
After Conway’s departure, Latham and Mitchell played brilliantly, building an 87-run stand. This partnership took New Zealand very close to victory and almost ended Pakistan’s chances of a comeback. Daryl Mitchell scored 57 runs before getting out to Abrar Ahmed. But the game was already in New Zealand’s control.
Finally, Latham and Glenn Phillips added 37 more runs, securing the win. Latham got out for 56 runs to Shaheen Shah Afridi, but by then, New Zealand had almost won. New Zealand successfully chased the target in 45.2 overs, winning the Tri-Nation Series title.

Pakistan Bowling

Naseem Shah took 2 wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Salman Agha took 1 wicket each.

Key Performances

Batting Performance

Pakistan:

• Muhammad Rizwan: 46 runs (76 balls)
• Salman Agha: 45 runs (65 balls)

New Zealand:

• Daryl Mitchell: 57 runs (58 balls)
• Tom Latham: 56 runs (64 balls)

Bowling Performance

New Zealand:

• Will O’Rourke: 4 wickets for 43 runs (Economy: 4.52)
• Mitchell Santner: 2 wickets for 20 runs (Economy: 2.00)

Pakistan:

• Naseem Shah: 2 wickets for 43 runs (Economy: 5.37)
• Salman Agha: 1 wicket for 45 runs (Economy: 4.50)

Key Moments

Pakistan’s batsman Babar Azam has completed 6000 runs in his career, achieving this milestone in just 123 innings. He set this record during the Tri-Nation Series final, making him equal to South African opener Hashim Amla, who previously held the record. Babar Azam surpassed top players like Steven Smith, David Warner, and Virat Kohli to reach this landmark. This achievement is a major milestone in his cricket career and will be remembered for a long time.

Match Summary

Final Scorecard

• Pakistan: 242/10 (49.3 overs)
• New Zealand: 243/5 (45.2 overs)

Player of the Match & Player of the Series

Will O’Rourke was awarded Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance, taking 4 wickets in 9.3 overs. His spell played a crucial role in restricting Pakistan.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s vice-captain Salman Agha won the Player of the Series award for scoring 219 runs in 3 matches and taking 1 wicket.

Scorecard