This is first time a 3 match T20 series is being played between two teams. Both Pakistan and New Zealand are struggling for different reasons. New Zealand go into the series with two consecutive limited over series white-washes behind them while Pakistan it seems just can not get rid off their off-field woes at the moment. New Zealand drew the first blood by utilizing their home conditions well to go 1-0 up handsomely.
Ross Taylor won the toss and inserted Pakistan in. Afridi as he did in the warm-up game came as opener alongside Hafeez. Pakistan got off to a flyer. Kyle Mills was taken to the task by Afridi who hit him for two successive sixes. The debutant Adam Milne was welcomed by Hafeez who caressed him for a lovely cover drive for four before Afridi stuck into him. Mills came back to remove Afridi through a top-edge off the very next ball when Hafeez was put down by Milne. Milne the promising youngster who was bowling 90 mile an hour ran into another talented youth Ahmed Shehzad who hit him for consecutive two fours and a six. Tim Southee stopped the rampage when he deceived Shehzad off a slower leg-cutter to be caught at the wicket. Pakistan ware 58 for 2 after 6 overs and were looking for a big total. But Southee had completely different ideas. He dismissed Younis, Hafeez and Umar Akmal to claim his first T20 hat-trick and jolted Pakistan badly. Akmal though was unlucky to be given out. Abdul Razzaq nicked behind in his next over and Pakistan ware tottering at 68 for 6 in the tenth over. Southee remarkably had taken 5 wickets in 9 balls to complete first 5-wicket haul for New Zealand. Fawad could not stay long enough but Umar Gull and Wahab Riaz took the score to respectability. Gull made a stabilizing 30 off 31 balls. Wahab along with Shoaib Akhtar added an enterprising 31 runs for the last wicket to take Pakistan to 143 for 9 in 20 overs. He made a vital 30 off 21 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes. The hero for New Zealand was Southee who took 5 for 18. Keeping short boundaries in mind it was not a big score but a fighting one for Pakistan.
New Zealand started with a bang. Guptill showed what he was capable of by thrashing Abdul for 15 runs in the first over. The trend continued in the next over but Jesse Ryder handed Shoaib Akhtar an easy wicket to provide Pakistan a breather. The second debutant Dean Brownlie was undone by the pace of Shoaib who in his next over castled Styris to leave New Zealand at a delicate 55 for 3 in the 6th over. Guptill at the other end was taking every bowler to the cleaners so Ross Taylor played a waiting game. Guptill was run out in the 10th over after making a hurricane 54 off just 29 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes. With 53 required from the last 10 overs Pakistan needed some quick wickets but they were denied by New Zealand with sensible batting. Franklin departed at 115 but Taylor ( 39 0ff 31 balls) and Peter McGlashan reached the target in the 18th over. For Pakistan Shoaib took 3 wickets but was expensive. Tim Southee was named the Man of the Match.
New Zealand lead the series and onus now is on Pakistan to come back in the series to make a contest. The struggling but unpredictable Pakistan can certainly do that.
Ross Taylor won the toss and inserted Pakistan in. Afridi as he did in the warm-up game came as opener alongside Hafeez. Pakistan got off to a flyer. Kyle Mills was taken to the task by Afridi who hit him for two successive sixes. The debutant Adam Milne was welcomed by Hafeez who caressed him for a lovely cover drive for four before Afridi stuck into him. Mills came back to remove Afridi through a top-edge off the very next ball when Hafeez was put down by Milne. Milne the promising youngster who was bowling 90 mile an hour ran into another talented youth Ahmed Shehzad who hit him for consecutive two fours and a six. Tim Southee stopped the rampage when he deceived Shehzad off a slower leg-cutter to be caught at the wicket. Pakistan ware 58 for 2 after 6 overs and were looking for a big total. But Southee had completely different ideas. He dismissed Younis, Hafeez and Umar Akmal to claim his first T20 hat-trick and jolted Pakistan badly. Akmal though was unlucky to be given out. Abdul Razzaq nicked behind in his next over and Pakistan ware tottering at 68 for 6 in the tenth over. Southee remarkably had taken 5 wickets in 9 balls to complete first 5-wicket haul for New Zealand. Fawad could not stay long enough but Umar Gull and Wahab Riaz took the score to respectability. Gull made a stabilizing 30 off 31 balls. Wahab along with Shoaib Akhtar added an enterprising 31 runs for the last wicket to take Pakistan to 143 for 9 in 20 overs. He made a vital 30 off 21 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes. The hero for New Zealand was Southee who took 5 for 18. Keeping short boundaries in mind it was not a big score but a fighting one for Pakistan.
New Zealand started with a bang. Guptill showed what he was capable of by thrashing Abdul for 15 runs in the first over. The trend continued in the next over but Jesse Ryder handed Shoaib Akhtar an easy wicket to provide Pakistan a breather. The second debutant Dean Brownlie was undone by the pace of Shoaib who in his next over castled Styris to leave New Zealand at a delicate 55 for 3 in the 6th over. Guptill at the other end was taking every bowler to the cleaners so Ross Taylor played a waiting game. Guptill was run out in the 10th over after making a hurricane 54 off just 29 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes. With 53 required from the last 10 overs Pakistan needed some quick wickets but they were denied by New Zealand with sensible batting. Franklin departed at 115 but Taylor ( 39 0ff 31 balls) and Peter McGlashan reached the target in the 18th over. For Pakistan Shoaib took 3 wickets but was expensive. Tim Southee was named the Man of the Match.
New Zealand lead the series and onus now is on Pakistan to come back in the series to make a contest. The struggling but unpredictable Pakistan can certainly do that.
Published in sportpulse.net
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