Boult hat-trick rocks Pakistan

Fast bowler Trent Boult became just the third New Zealander to record a hat-trick in a one-day international as the Black Caps beat Pakistan by 47 runs.

Boult (3-54) nailed Pakistan's top order with the wickets of Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez off successive deliveries after New Zealand posted 9-266 in the match in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed (64) and Imad Wasim (50) shared a century-stand and gave their team a chance before New Zealand bowled them out for 219 in 47.2 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

It is New Zealand’s 12th consecutive one-day victory over Pakistan.

Earlier, half centuries from Ross Taylor (80) and Tom Latham (68) sparked the Kiwis after captain Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to bat.

But Pakistan hit back in the last 10 overs with ace leg-spinner Shadab Khan (4-38) claiming three wickets in four balls and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi ending up with 4-46.

Shadab broke the century stand by dismissing Latham and Henry Nicholls lbw off consecutive balls and one delivery later, Colin de Grandhomme was caught in the slip.

Taylor, who hit five fours in his 112-ball knock, looked set for a century but played on to left-arm spinner Wasim before Ish Sodhi (24) and Tim Southee (20) played little cameos and lifted New Zealand's total in the last five overs.

Pakistan's top order batsmen did brilliantly in the T20s but were jolted by Boult. The left-arm seamer cramped Zaman and had the left-hander clean bowled in his second over and Azam was snapped by Taylor chest high in the first slip.

Hafeez was then trapped leg before wicket as Boult completed the hat-trick and nailed Pakistan to 3-8.

Danny Morrison and Shane Bond are the only other male New Zealand fast bowlers to perform hat tricks in ODIs, against India and Australia in 1994 and 2007, respectively.

Imam-ul-Haq (34) and Shoaib Malik (30) shared a 63-run stand but both fell in space of two runs before Shadab was unlucky to be given out caught behind of Ish Sodhi with television replays suggesting the ball was nowhere near his bat.

Ahmed and Wasim then raised a 103-run stand, which brought Pakistan back into the match, before Ahmed played on to de Grandhomme's full-pitched delivery.

Wasim was caught by de Grandhomme soon after reaching his half century and Pakistan lost their last three wickets, with Lockie Ferguson finishing with 3-36.