Pakistan become first team to field 4 left-arm pace bowlers in any match across formats during 3rd ODI vs New Zealand

Pakistan has become the first team in history to play two left-arm seame bowlers in any of these formats of the game viz. Test matches, ODI cricket, Twenty20 internationals (T20Is), Women’s Tests, Women’s ODIs, Women’s T20Is, Under-19 Tests and Under-19 ODIs. In the third and final ODI  of their current tour to New Zealand they fielded Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Aamer, Rahat Ali and Wahab Riaz. All of these fast bowlers are left-armers. It has never happened in international cricket for both men and women in all the three formats of the game. This also includes Under-19 Test and ODI games. Pakistan’s greatest left-arm pace bowler is unarguably Wasim Akram, who is also widely regarded as the finest left-arm pacer of all time. New Zealand won the match by three wickets sealing the series 2-0. Full Scorecard: Pakistan vs New Zealand 2015-16, 3rd ODI at Auckland

Cricket has seen many great left-arm fast bowlers besides Akram. Zaheer Khan is probably the finest India has produced. Mitchell Johnson was also a great left-arm seamer. Talking of the match, Pakistan batted first and got all out for 290 in 47.3 overs. Mohammad Hafeez scored 76 off 83 balls and Babar Azama top-scored for them with his 83-run knock off only 77 deliveries. Adam Milne took a three-wicket-haul while Trent Boult and Matt Henry took two wickets each. READ: New Zealand beat Pakistan by 3 wickets in a rain-curtailed 3rd ODI at Auckland; seal series 2-0

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In reply, New Zealand had to score 263 in 43 overs as per the revised target according to Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method. It was a close match as they won it with just two balls to spare. Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson scored fifties. Talking of the left-arm pace bowlers, Aamer took two wickets while Irfan and Riaz picked up a wicket each. Rahat Ali went wicketless. Thus the left-arm seamers took a total of four wickets in the match. Leg-break bowler Azhar Ali also took two wickets. Guptill bagged Player of the Match award for his 82 off 81 deliveries.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan 290 in 47.3 Overs (Mohammad Hafeez 76, Babar Azam 83; Matt Henry 2 for 44, Adam Milne 3 for 49) beat New Zealand 265 for 7 in 42.4 Overs (Martin Guptill 82, Kane Williamson 84; Azhar Ali 2 for 37, Mohammad Aamer 2 for 39) by 3 wickets (D/L method)