Muhammad Abbas broke India’s Krunal Pandya’s world record to play a crucial role in New Zealand’s 73-run win over Pakistan in the first ODI at the McLean Park in Napier on Saturday. Notably, Muhammad Abbas is the first-ever Pakistan-born player to play for New Zealand in international cricket.
Batting first, New Zealand rode on a 199-run stand between Mark Chapman (132) and Daryl Mitchell (76) to post 344/9 in 50 overs. Playing his first international match, Muhammad Abbas came after the fall of Daryl Mitchell’s wicket and reached his fifty in just 24 balls, thereby surpassing India’s Krunal Pandya, who had scored a fifty in 26 balls on his ODI debut in 2021. In reply, Pakistan were all out for 271.
Who is Muhammad Abbas?
Born in Lahore, Muhammad Abbas comes from a cricket family. His father Azhar Abbas played 45 first-class matches in Pakistan before migrating to New Zealand. In New Zealand, Azhar Abbas continued playing cricket representing Wellington and Auckland.
Currently, Azhar Abbas is an assistant coach for the Wellington Firebirds. Following his father’s footsteps, Muhammad Abbas made his domestic debut in New Zealand for Wellington.
An all-rounder by trait, Muhammad Abbas has so far played 21 first-class matches for Wellington and scored 1301 runs including two hundreds and six fifties with a career-best of 130. He has also claimed 12 wickets.
Pakistan suffer late collapse
In the chase, Pakistan looked on track at 249/3, at that point needing 96 runs to win, with more than 11 overs remaining. However, seamer Nathan Smith (4/60) helped to spark a late collapse, with the last seven wickets falling for 22 runs.
Earlier, the recalled Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan with 78 off 83 balls, but it was his dismissal that started the rot. Salman Agha struck a defiant 58 off 48, but he was let down by a series of loose shots from lower order teammates as New Zealand took a 1-0 lead.
