Phillips and Santner lead New Zealand to 78-run win over Pakistan in Tri-Nations series opener

Glenn Phillips cracked a maiden century and Mitchell Santner grabbed three wickets to help New Zealand overpower Pakistan by 78 runs in the opening match of a Tri-Nations series in Lahore on Saturday night.

Phillips hit 106 not out from 74 balls, with seven sixes and six boundaries to help the tourists post an impressive 330-6 in 50 overs before Santner's 3-41 helped dismiss Pakistan for 252 in 47.5 overs.

South Africa are the third team in the series, a warm-up event for the Champions Trophy from Feb.19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Phillips also added the prized wicket of Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman who top-scored with a 69-ball 84 including four sixes and seven boundaries.

Fakhar and Babar Azam, promoted to open the innings, had given Pakistan a solid start of 52 before Michael Bracewell broke through with the wicket of Azam who made just ten.

New Zealand's Rachan Ravindra is helped from the field after he injuring while fielding the ball on the boundary. AP

Santner then exploited the slow Gaddafi Stadium pitch, dismissing Kamran Ghulam (18), skipper Mohammad Rizwan (three) and Khushdil Shah (15) to put Pakistan on the back foot.

Salman Agha (40) and Tayyab Tahir (30) added 53 for the fifth wicket but that wasn't enough in a tough chase. Pacer Matt Henry took 3-53 and Bracewell 2-41.

Earlier, Phillips built on the good work by Daryl Mitchell (81) and Kane Williamson (58) after New Zealand chose to bat.

Phillips added a quickfire 54 off just 47 balls with Bracewell for the sixth wicket. Bracewell scored 31 from 23 balls, with three sixes. New Zealand plundered 123 runs in the last 10 overs, including 84 from the final five.

Phillips smashed a boundary and two sixes off pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to reach his hundred off 72 balls, taking 25 in the 50th over.

Shaheen ended up with expensive figures of 3-88 from his 10 overs, although he gave Pakistan an early breakthrough by removing opener Will Young for four with the fourth ball of the match.

Glenn Phillips plays a shot as Mohammad Rizwan watches during the Tri-Series ODI match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday. AP

Spinner Abrar Ahmed had opener Rachin Ravindra caught and bowled for 25 but Williamson and Mitchell then added 95 off 112 balls to rebuild the innings.

Williamson hit seven boundaries in his 46th half century, his first one-day international since November 2023, before edging Shaheen to wicketkeeper Rizwan.

Mitchell appeared well set for a hundred but miscued a shot off Abrar in the 38th over to be caught after hitting four sixes and two boundaries.

Pakistan were hit hard when pace bowler Haris Rauf walked off in the 37th over after suffering a side strain, having bowled 6.2 overs that included the wicket of Tom Latham for nought.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 330-6 in 50 overs (G. Phillips 106 not out, D. Mitchell 81, K. Williamson 58; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-88, Abrar Ahmed 2-41)

v Pakistan 252 in 47.5 overs (Fakhar Zaman 84, Salman Agha 40; M. Santner 3-41) Result: New Zealand won by 78 runs Toss: New Zealand Next match: New Zealand vs South Africa, Lahore on Monday.

Agence France-Presse