Chasing 220 runs and down two key wickets in the opening three overs — and regular opener Bernadine Bezuidenhout sidelined with a hand injury from fielding — White Ferns No 4 Maddy Green came to the crease with a tough task ahead.
She was up to the challenge, scoring a composed 83 to help the White Ferns win by one wicket in a tense finish at Hagley Oval last night, wrapping up the ODI series.
Green and opener Suzie Bates (74) put on 142 runs for the third wicket. It was Bates’ 31st 100-run partnership, an international ODI record.
But Green scooped a shot and was caught with 49 runs remaining, leaving a young middle order who struggled to bring them home.
Izzy Gaze went for six, Hannah Rowe for one, Georgia Plimmer for 10, Bezuidenhout for three and Molly Penfold for two.
But experienced Lea Tahuhu settled, adding 21 not out and No 11 Fran Jonas (5 not out) clipped three runs to tie the game in a nailbiting finish.
Pakistan bowler Ghulam Fatima was sublime taking four for 47.
Fatima Sana, captaining in the absence of Nida Dar who was ruled out with concussion, took two for 52 and scored 90 runs, the highest ODI score for a Pakistan captain
The White Ferns had a dream start when Tahuhu took a wicket with her opening ball.
Melie Kerr caught the ball off the bat of Muneeba Al who went for a duck.
Losing Ali early hurt Pakistan’s top order who were all picked off quickly.
Tahuhu got under the ball of Sidra Amin at deep fine leg, then caught Bismah Maroof.
Gaze dived low to catch Aliya Riaz, leaving Pakistan 35 for four.
Natalia Parvaiz and Sana provided some relief for Pakistan, putting on 90 runs for the fifth wicket.
Penfold finally broke the partnership with the lbw dismissal of Parvaiz (39), but Sana pushed on, finishing not out for 90.
She linked with Najiha Alvi for a 65-run partnership, before Alvi was caught by Penfold on 32.
Umme Hani was caught and bowled by Jonas in the same over and Nashra Sundhu (2) was run out by Plimmer and Tahuhu.
In reply, Bates and Kerr opened the batting.
Kerr pulled away a lovely boundary before she chopped on Sana’s next delivery, leaving the field furious with herself.
Devine, who took her 100th ODI wicket in the game, came to the crease and was aggressive from the outset, but edged one over the top and was caught for six.
The White Ferns and Pakistan will play the final ODI in Christchurch on Monday.
PAKISTAN
M Ali c M Kerr b Tahuhu 0
S Amin c Tahuhu b Rowe 2
B Maroof c Tahuhu b Penfold 7
A Riaz c Gaze b Devine 7
N Parvaiz lbw Penfold 39
Fatima Sana not out 90
N Alvi c Penfold b Jonas 32
U Hani c & b Jonas 0
N Sundhu run out Plimmer/Tahuhu 2
S Iqbal c Bates b Devine 7
Ghulam Fatima b Bezuidenhout c Devine 1
Extras (2lb, 21w) 23
Total (all out, 50 overs) 220
Fall: 1-0, 2-15, 3-32, 4-35, 5-125, 6-190, 7-190, 8-199, 9-214, 10-220
Bowling: L Tahuhu 10-1-37-1, H Rowe 10-0-39-1, S Devine 6-0-25-3, M Penfold 9-0-43-2, F Jonas 7-0-36-2, A Kerr 8-0-38-0
WHITE FERNS
S Bates c Riaz b Fatima 74
A Kerr b Sana 4
S Devine c Sundhu b Sana 6
M Green c Maroof b Fatima 83
G Plimmer lbw Iqbal 10
I Gaze b Fatima 6
H Rowe c Maroof b Fatima 1
B Bezuidenhout c & b Hani 3
L Tahuhu not out 21
M Penfold b Sundhu 2
F Jonas not out 5
Extras (6w) 6
Total (for 9wkts, 48.5 overs) 221
Fall: 1-7, 2-13, 3-155, 4-172, 5-178, 6-182, 7-184, 8-198, 9-208,
Bowling: F Sana 9.5-0-52-2, S Iqbal 10-1-28-1, N Sundhu 10-0-39-1, U Hani 8-0-46-1, G Fatima 10-1-47-4, A Riaz 1-0-9-0
Result: White Ferns won by one wicket
