NZ Ride Twin Tons, Disciplined Bowling in Big Win Over Pak

It's easy to tag the collapse at Karachi as one of those signature, recognisable quirks one must be ready to embrace if you are following Pakistan cricket.

- Somshuvra Laha

KOLKATA: A more relevant point though is the astuteness of New Zealand's bowling strategy that makes subcontinent batters sweep and reverse sweep mindlessly after cutting off scoring areas at point and covers.

They always field well. Hundreds from Will Young and Tom Latham underpinned their batting consistency too. Talking point however is New Zealand's customised bowling, both fast and slow, that fashioned a handsome 60-run win against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy opener on Wednesday.

A bowler is hardwired to take wickets. But to what extent in one-dayers can be a tricky question. Take Matt Henry, New Zealand's pace spearhead, who generally likes to bowl full—he had dismantled India with 3/37 in the 2019 semi-final—but stuck to bowling length here. Five-over spell, one maiden, nine runs conceded—New Zealand were off to a perfect start. Then there was Will O'Rourke, Henry's bowling partner, who started with a wayward outswinger but quickly tightened his lines to first get Saud Shakeel and then Mohammad Rizwan.