Pacer Haris Rauf led a scientific bowling show with a superb four-wicket haul earlier than Shoaib Malik and Asif Ali’s onslaught as Pakistan took “revenge” on New Zealand for a current off-field snub with a five-wicket win within the T20 World Cup right here on Tuesday.
Many of the top-order batters, apart from opener Mohammad Rizwan (33), struggled however the skilled Malik (26 not out off 20 balls) and quantity seven Ali (27 not out off 12) flourished in the direction of the top with a 48-run partnership for the sixth wicket to take Pakistan residence with eight balls to spare.
Pakistan and Afghanistan occupy the 🔝 2 spots 👀
Will any staff chase them down in Group 2❓#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/PkfKEMsgIT
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 26, 2021
This was Pakistan’s second consecutive win after their complete 10-wicket victory over India on Sunday.
The New Zealand staff, enjoying in its first match, had just lately withdrawn from a scheduled sequence in opposition to Pakistan after touchdown there, citing a safety risk which, in line with the host nation, didn’t exist.
Chasing 135 for a win, captain Babar Azam (9) and Rizwan made a good begin however they had been discovering it tough to get the runs and the boundaries because the chase progressed.
Pakistan’s blazing kind continues 🔥#T20WorldCup | #PAKvNZ | https://t.co/rpw034CkPm pic.twitter.com/hTyRgHezCF
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 26, 2021
Azam was not at his fluent finest as in comparison with his sensible unbeaten 68 in opposition to India and was out within the sixth over, bowled by Tim Southee, who obtained his one hundredth wicket in T20 Internationals.
Runs weren’t coming simply for Pakistan at this stage as they reached 30 for 1 on the finish of energy play and so they obtained one other jolt as one-down Fakhar Zaman (11) was trapped LBW by Ish Sodhi within the ninth over.
Former captain Mohammad Hafeez hoisted James Neesham for a six as quickly as he got here out as Pakistan reached 58 for two on the midway mark.
However, within the subsequent over, he obtained out with Devon Conway taking a surprising diving catch close to the boundary ropes off the bowling of Mitchell Santner.
New Zealand had been again into the match with Rizwan, who had scored 79 not out in opposition to India, trapped LBW by Sodhi within the twelfth over.
After a few comparatively quiet overs, Trent Boult obtained his first wicket by eliminating Imad Wasim (11) within the fifteenth over. However from there on, Pakistan modified the script of the match, courtesy Malik and Asif Ali.
One other day, one other scorching efficiency from the Pakistan bowlers 🔥
They limit New Zealand to 134/8.
Will their batters get the job completed? #T20WorldCup | #PAKvNZ | https://t.co/rpw034CkPm pic.twitter.com/4LcY3wZun6
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 26, 2021
Pakistan wanted 44 runs from the ultimate 5 overs and in got here Ali who clobbered Southee for 2 consecutive sixes within the seventeenth over to tilt the match in his facet’s favour.
Malik hit a six and a 4 within the subsequent over earlier than Ali set the Sharjah sky on hearth with a six and hit the profitable runs — a two — to take Pakistan to 135 for five in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rauf spearheaded the bowling assault with 4 wickets as Pakistan restricted New Zealand to a modest complete.
The Kiwis had been in all types of hassle after they had been invited to bat within the face a disciplined Pakistani bowling assault with opener Daryl Mitchell and Conway top-scoring with 27 every and captain Kane Williamson contributing 25.
New Zealand couldn’t have one substantial partnership with their highest being the 36-run opening stand between Mitchell and Martin Guptill (17).
Conway goes for a lofted shot in opposition to Rauf however solely finds Babar Azam within the deep 🤲
His knock of 27 involves an finish. #T20WorldCup | #PAKvNZ | https://t.co/rpw034CkPm pic.twitter.com/VvkJziwqkN
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 26, 2021
Shaheen Afridi, Imad wasim and Mohammad Hafeez additionally took one wicket every for Pakistan.
Afridi, who rattled the Indian top-order in Pakistan’s win over India, obtained the swing within the opening over which was a maiden one. However Mitchell hit a 4 off his second over which yielded eight runs.
Mitchell then hoisted Hasan Ali for a six as New Zealand appeared to take the initiative. However they had been unable to come back out of the ability play unscathed as Rauf uprooted Guptill’s timbers after the ball took a deflection off the batter’s pads.
Mitchell paid the worth of going for one too many as he holed out to Fakhar Zaman close to the ropes after he smashed a six off Imad within the ninth over.
Imad Wasim will get his retribution ☝️
After being hit for a six, he will get Daryl Mitchell the very subsequent supply.
He’s gone for 27!#T20WorldCup | #PAKvNZ | https://t.co/rpw034kJXO pic.twitter.com/LQ64oLt65X
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 26, 2021
New batter James Neesham didn’t final lengthy as he was out for 1 within the subsequent over off Hafeez as New Zealand reached 60 for 3 at midway mark.
The Kiwis stepped on the gasoline and took 25 runs from the twelfth and thirteenth overs along with Williamson smashing Hafeez for a six and a 4, whilst Conway clobbered Shadab Khan for 3 successive boundaries.
However the Kiwi innings took a flip after Williamson was run out within the 14th over as Hasan Ali’s sensible direct throw off his personal bowling dislodged the bails.
New Zealand may solely attain the 100-run mark on the finish of the fifteenth over and Conway and Glenn Phillips (13) obtained out within the house of three balls within the 18th over bowled by Rauf.
