Pakistan defeated New Zealand by five wickets on Thursday at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi to register their 500th one-day international (ODI) victory.
The Men In Green have become the third team in the world to achieve this feat. The landmark was achieved after the Green Shirts played 949 50-over matches.
Pakistan have won 92 ODIs against Sri Lanka, 73 India, 63 West Indies, 57 New Zealand, 54 Zimbabwe, 34 Australia, and 32 each against England and Bangladesh.
Apart from Pakistan, Australia have won 594 50-over matches in 978 fixtures, while India have secured victories in 539 matches in 1,029 fixtures.
TOSS
Pakistan won the toss and decided to field first against Kiwis in the first of the five-match ODI series at the Pindi Cricket Ground.
The Black Caps shocked the home side by squaring a preceding five-match Twenty20 series 2-2 despite missing eight players — including skipper Kane Williamson — due to the ongoing Indian Premier League or injury.
Under stand-in skipper Tom Latham, New Zealand adapted to the conditions skillfully, roaring back from 2-0 down to win the third and fifth matches, with the fourth abandoned after rain.
Pakistan have won five of the seven ODI series that Azam has captained. His two losses came against England in 2021 and New Zealand in January this year.
But New Zealand boast recent dominance over Pakistan. Of the last six ODI series between them, New Zealand have won five and drawn one. Their last series defeat against Pakistan was at home in 2011.
The other matches of the current series are in Rawalpindi on Saturday followed by Karachi on May 3, 5 and 7.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
New Zealand: Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c & wk), Mark Chapman, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Blair Tickner
