In a strange twist of fate in the third ODI match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, the lights failed at the same moment when Kiwi pacer Jacob Duffy was preparing to bowl the fourth ball of his over. Pakistan batter Tayyab Tahir, who was on strike, was quick enough to take evasive action and stepped back from the stumps, just avoiding injury.
This unusual occurrence, particularly in a nation like New Zealand famous for its world-class facilities, caught players and spectators by surprise. The incident has been recorded on camera and has since gone viral, receiving wide coverage across social media.
Confusion mid-over as lights go off
In the 39th over of Pakistan’s innings, with Duffy coming in to bowl, the floodlights abruptly went out, leaving the stadium half-dark. Tahir stepped back from the crease at once, avoiding any accident.
It was not certain if Duffy had actually released the ball, as the sudden power outage caused uncertainty on the field. “Had Tahir not stepped aside in time and the delivery hit him, it could have resulted in a serious injury,” sources at the venue said. The match resumed soon after power was restored.
Match overview: New Zealand win series 3–0
New Zealand then won the third ODI by 43 runs, securing a clean sweep of the series. The match was cut short to 42 overs per team due to rain interruptions. New Zealand batted first and scored 264/8, driven by good performances by Rachin Ravindra and captain Michael Bracewell.
Bracewell hit 59 runs from 40 balls, comprising one four and six huge sixes, while Rachin scored 58 runs from 61 balls, scoring six fours and two sixes.
Pakistan, in response, were bowled out for 221 in 40 overs despite courageous knocks from their top order. Star batsman Babar Azam scored a courageous 50 from 58 balls with four fours and one six. Captain Mohammad Rizwan contributed 37 runs but couldn’t lead the team over the threshold.
Pakistan bowlers exhibit courage despite defeat
Among the Pakistani bowlers, Akif Javed was the most notable, taking four wickets. Naseem Shah took two, while Faheem Ashraf and Sufiyan Muqeem each took a wicket.
In a fighting effort, Pakistan could not escape a whitewash, losing the three-match ODI series 0–3 and previously the T20I series 1–4.
This strange light-out episode only served to heighten the drama of an already high-pressure tour for Pakistan, characterized by inconsistent play and mounting worries about team execution under pressure.