NZ vs PAK 2018: Kane Williamson urges his bowlers to step up in Dunedin

New Zealand took a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series against Pakistan.

Kane Williamson | Getty

Kane Williamson –led New Zealand Team has already taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match One Day International Series against Pakistan at home, but the skipper wants more improved death-bowling performance in the third ODI, on 13 January at University Oval, Dunedin.

Williamson urged his bowlers to bowl at their best in the remaining ODIs of the series, as his bowlers failed to stop the Pakistani lower-order from making runs in the last two ODIs.

On Wednesday, Pakistan recovered from 141/7 in the 37th over and posted a respectable total of 246/9 during the second ODI in Nelson, which irked the Black Caps skipper. He further added that Pakistan are a good side and they will bounce back in the next games, therefore, the hosts should have to learn from their last games and improve in that particular area.

As per News Hub, Williamson said, “We learned a few lessons, I suppose, from the last game. They bat very deep, the Pakistani side, and that is the sign of a good team - we know they keep coming hard.”

He further added, “We were able to take those early wickets, which certainly helped us, but their lower order came out and then put together a partnership that gave them a total which could have been a tough chase. It was a great sign for them but it's important we learn from that as well and look to do that a little bit better. We perhaps weren't quite at our best after we'd taken a number of early wickets, and didn't close out the last few. We want to be a little bit better there.”

The Black Caps have been boosted with the return of their premier all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme, who was on a break after his father's death, but the skipper said they have yet to decide which place he would play instead of allrounders Mitchell Santner or Todd Astle.

Williamson concluded by saying, “The wicket at the moment, they sprinkled it with a bit of water, so we want to have another look when it's fully prepared. Colin comes as an all-rounder option - we'll have a look tomorrow and see what we think of the surface, whether it's more conducive to spin or seam.”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 12 Jan, 2018

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