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‘Back to aukaat’ – Fans react as Pakistan slip from no. 1 ODI spot after their loss against New Zealand by 47 runs

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New Zealand (Source: Twitter)

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‘Back to aukaat’ – Fans react as Pakistan slip from no. 1 ODI spot after their loss against New Zealand by 47 runs

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Pakistan lost their World No. 1 ranking after losing by 47 runs to an under-strength New Zealand in the fifth and final one-day international in Karachi on Sunday, denying Pakistan a clean sweep of the series. Pakistan fell to third in the ODI standings, below Australia and India, after being bowled out for 252 in 46.1 overs, its lowest total in the series.

The Men in Green regained the top spot in the ODI rankings after winning the fourth game of the series on Friday, but a 5-0 sweep was required to keep the position. Will Young’s (87) and captain Tom Latham’s (59) half-centuries anchored New Zealand’s total of 299 in 49.3 overs after Latham won his third successive toss in the Karachi leg of the series but chose to bat first for the first time.

Fakhar Zaman (33) and Shan Masood (7) toiled against Matt Henry and Adam Milne’s perfect lengths with the new ball until Masood flicked Henry back onto his stumps following a 20-ball tussle.
Babar enjoyed a great series, becoming the fastest player in ODI history to reach 5,000 runs in 97 innings, but on Sunday the Pakistan captain was caught at backward point off Henry Shipley.

Iftikhar and Salman Ali Agha resurrected Pakistan’s chase with a 97-run fifth-wicket stand until Shipley returned and broke the partnership in the 35th over, dismissing Agha at mid-off. Iftikhar ran out of partners in the final overs, with left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra finishing with 3-65 when No. 11 Haris Rauf was run out while attempting a second run.

Will Young and Tom Latham shine for New Zealand

Earlier, Young lost his second chance to score a century in the series as Pakistan‘s strategy of using two specialist leg-spinners worked well in the middle overs. Usama Mir (2-53) and Shadab Khan (2-67) both took four of the top-order wickets. Shadab took two crucial wickets after finding a tiny outside edge of Young’s bat. Mark Chapman (43) attempted to speed alongside Latham, but Shadab had him well caught by Mohammad Rizwan down the leg side.

Mir dismissed Henry Nicholls and Latham, who holed out in the deep while going for a huge shot before Pakistan’s pacers took control in the final overs. Rachin Ravindra (28) and Cole McConchie (26) made brief appearances, but Pakistan rallied in the final five overs to claim five wickets for 32 runs, with Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-46) and Haris Rauf (1-45) drying the runs.

Here is how Twitter reacted

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