Mitchell Hay has blasted 99 not out – his highest score for New Zealand – to help the Black Caps to a total of 292-8 in the second ODI against Pakistan today. The 24-year-old Hay went on the attack late in New Zealand’s innings to help his side to a competitive total on a pitch which gave assistance to Pakistan’s slow bowlers after a bright start from the home side.
Batting at No.7 at Hamilton’s Seddon Oval, Hay’s innings came off only 78 deliveries. He hit seven fours and seven sixes, including two sixes in the final over (as well as two fours) and two sixes in the 48th. Hay hit seven sixes on his way to an unbeaten 99 in Hamilton. A limited overs specialist, Hay made his debut for New Zealand last year. His previous highest score was 49, scored against Sri Lanka in Pallekele last November.
He was one of the few to capitalize on a good start for the Black Caps. Rhys Mariu, on debut for New Zealand, made 18 in a bright opening stand of 52 with Nick Kelly (31), with Henry Nicholls (22), Daryl Mitchell (18), skipper Michael Bracewell (17) and Muhammad Abbas (41) also getting starts. Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was Pakistan’s best bowler and helped put on the brakes with 2-33 off his 10 overs.
New Zealand, who won the recent T20 series against Pakistan 4-1, have a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. The final match is in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
Mitchell Hay became the first New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter to remain unbeaten on 99 in One-Day Internationals (ODI). Overall, he is just the third wicketkeeper in the world to achieve this and the first in over a decade. He achieved this feat in the second ODI against Pakistan at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on April 2, 2025.
Wicketkeeper-batters to remain unbeaten on 99 in ODIs include Andy Flower (ZIM) vs Australia, Harare, 1999 and Swapnil Patil (UAE) vs Scotland, Lincoln, 2014. In fact, Hay is just the second batter from New Zealand after Bruce Edgar (vs India in 1981) to remain unbeaten on 99 in the 50-over format for the Blackcaps.
Playing his sixth ODI, this was also Hay's first half-century at the international level, beating his previous best of 49 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele last year. Coming in to bat at seven, Hay smashed 99 off just 78 deliveries, which included seven fours and as many sixes. He put on 77 off 80 with Muhammad Abbas (41) and then was involved in quickfire stands with Nathan Smith, Bean Sears and Jacob Duffy to take New Zealand to a formidable 292/8.
Hay was on 77 off 72 heading into the final over of the innings. He went 2,0,6,6,4,4 to finish on 99. "It was pretty tough at the start. It was a hard first 20-30 balls, but we worked hard and put pressure on them. Starting against spin wasn't easy," Hay said after his innings.
"Our communication was clearly good [on his partnership with Mohammad Abbas]. Mo was specific about the targets, and I think spin was a good match-up for him, not for me, though. The score on the board is nice, exciting for the bowlers to go up there in defence of the total. Was nice to get a couple off the middle, Seddon Park is usually generous in terms of distance and was nice to clear a few of them over the ropes."
New Zealand have a firm grip on the series, having taken a 1-0 lead thanks to their 73-run victory in the first ODI in Napier. New Zealand and Pakistan still have one more ODI to play - in Mount Maunganui - on April 5, 2025. Ahead of the ODIs, the hosts completed a 4-1 T20 International (T20I) series win as well.
New Zealand's opening pair, Rhys Mariu and Nick Kelly, put together a 50-run stand. However, the partnership was broken in the 6th over when Kelly was dismissed by Pakistan's right-arm pacer Haris Rauf for 31 off 23 deliveries, leaving New Zealand at 54-1. In the 10th over, New Zealand lost their second opener, Mariu, for 18, when Mohammad Wasim Jr. struck, leaving the team under pressure at 71-2.
Daryl Mitchell, who joined the crease, added 18 runs off 18 balls before falling to Sufiyan Muqeem, leaving New Zealand at 100-3. The wickets continued to fall, and in the very next over, Henry Nicholls was dismissed for 22 LBW, leaving the Blackcaps struggling at 102-4 after 16.5 overs.
Skipper Michael Bracewell and Muhammad Abbas then tried to steady the innings with a 30-run partnership for the fifth wicket. However, Wasim Jr. struck again, dismissing Abbas for 17, reducing the hosts to 132-5 in 26.3 overs. Mitchell Hay and Abbas (41 off 66 balls) formed a crucial 77-run partnership for the sixth wicket, relieving some pressure and helping New Zealand to a more competitive position.
Despite the loss of wickets, Hay continued to play with composure, bringing up his half-century in the 50-over format. Pakistan's Faheem Ashraf delivered the seventh breakthrough, dismissing Nathan Smith for eight, leaving New Zealand at 236-7 in 45.1 overs. The Blackcaps lost their eighth wicket when Ben Sears was run out by Pakistan's skipper Mohammad Rizwan for a duck, leaving New Zealand at 270-8 in 49 overs.
In the final over, Hay charged at Wasim Jr and smoked two fours and two sixes to help his side reach 292, aiming to claim the series by setting up a defendable total. Pakistan's bowlers managed to take wickets but also conceded 32 extras, including 20 wides and 12 leg byes. Mohammad Wasim Jr. and Sufiyan Muqeem claimed two wickets each, while Faheem Ashraf, Akif Javed, and Haris Rauf each took one wicket.
New Zealand's Playing XI: Nick Kelly, Rhys Mariu, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell(c), Muhammad Abbas, Mitchell Hay(w), Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, William O'Rourke.
Pakistan's Playing XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Akif Javed.
