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New Zealand 164-9 after 20 overs
Mills 0, Milne 0
Pakistan win by 13 runs. The Kiwis gave it a go in the end through Ross Taylor 26 off 11 balls but they left it too late. But it’s crazy to have Taylor batting below Vettori. Ajmal ended up with 4-30.
New Zealand 122-5 after 16.2 overs
J Oram b Saeed Ajmal 11 (7b 2×4 0×6) SR: 157.14
Keep swinging and eventually you’ll miss. So far, Oram had been lucky to get the edges but this time, Ajmal was too good for him. But he was throwing the kitchen sink at it… not like he had an option. Pakistan are the only team to reach at least the semis of all the World T20 tournaments so far, how’s that for consistency.
New Zealand 108-4 after 15.1 overs
B McCullum b Umar Gul 32 (31b, 4×4, 1×6)
It was full, McCullum tried to big it out, couldn’t do it convincingly enough… it bounced back on to the stumps and dislodged the bail. This is pretty much over for the Kiwis.
New Zealand 102-3 after 14.1 overs
DL Vettori c Jamshed b Ajmal 18 (16b, 1×4, 0×6)
It was a desperate shot in the end. Vettori was trying to make room and hit it decently but straight to extra cover where Jamshed made no mistake.
New Zealand 92-2 after 13 overs
McCullum 21, Vettori 15
It’s not been easy for the Kiwis against the Pakistani spinners. The ball just isn’t coming on to the bat and then trying to read Ajmal is another headache. That’s the thing with this Pakistan team if they get anything over 160 — they will always have a good chance. In comparison, if India get less than 160 — they have virtually no chance.
New Zealand 67-2 after 10 overs
Kane Williamson run out 15 (13b, 2×4, 0×6)
NZ look a tad in trouble now. The run-rate is not that great at just 6.70 and they have lost two wickets. Anything can happen in T20, but they need to get going now. Good work from Hafeez to collect the throw and quickly get the bails off after Williamson fell short of a run.
New Zealand 53-1 after 6.4 overs
Rob Nicol b Shahid Afridi 33 (28b, 3×4, 1×6)
Afridi does the trick. He may not be in great run-scoring form but when Pakistan want to break a partnership, they always turn to him. He does it old school style— using the quicker ball and hoping the batsman tries to cut it. Nicol does, and Afridi gets the stumps.
New Zealand 38-0 after 5 overs
Nicol 24, Williamson 9
It is quite the choice between whether you want to keep your wickets or score runs quickly and with risk… and NZ have opted for the former. There have been three fours and a six so far but they may want to accelerate faster. It will, however be tough with the field restrictions over.
NZ COME OUT TO BAT
Pakistan 177-6 after 20 overs
Shahid Afridi c Williamson b Southee 12 (6b, 2×4, 0×6)
Umar Akmal c NL McCullum b Oram 23 (15b, 3×4, 1×6)
Well, there were some fireworks in the last few overs. 42 runs were scored in the last 4 overs and that is a fine return considering Pakistan were losing wickets in the process. Kamran may not have stepped up, but Umar Akmal certainly did and Shahid Afridi played a cameo in the end which consisted of two rasping boundaries. Both batsmen did lose their wicket in the last two overs, Umar taken well by McCullum and Afridi departing on the last ball of the innings as he gets caught trying to clear deep-cover.
Reuters
Pakistan 135-4 after 16 overs
Nasir Jamshed c NL McCullum b Vettori 56 (35b 2×4 4×6)
And the big man is gone! Vettori removes the man who was looking likely to take the game away from their hands. He goes for another one of those slogs over long-on but Nathan McCullum is onto it in a flash and takes a fine running catch. He looks to injured himself a bit in the process. NZ are in fightback mode.
Pakistan 131-3 after 14.4 overs
Mohammad Hafeez b Franklin 43 (38b, 2×4, 2×6)
Kamran Akmal c Mills b Oram 3 (3b, 0×4, 0×6)
Fine innings from Hafeez comes to an end. Franklin does the damage as as the batsman goes for a big shot over the leg side and misses. Franklin’s line was perfect and he gets the off-stump to rock back. Danger-man Kamran Akmal also departs, this time without a big score. He wants to start hitting and just can’t get enough elevation to clear covers.
Pakistan 92-1 after 10 overs
Hafeez 36, Jamshed 28
Nazir’s wicket wasn’t quite a blow. In fact, it has allowed Jamshed to come in the middle and smack some brilliant shots all over the park. And he doesn’t deal in fours… he just goes for the sixes. In his short time at the crease, he has plundered three of them— two flying over extra-cover and one easily beating fine-leg. Excellent batting from Pakistan.
Pakistan 47-1 after 5.4 overs
Imran Nazir c & b Southee 25 (16b, 5×4, 0×6)
First breakthrough for NZ comes as Southee catches Nazir off his own bowling. This partnership was looking very solid and NZ have had to work hard to break it.
Pakistan 42-0 after 5 overs
Hafeez 18, Nazir 21
Well, well, well… that drop was certainly costly. Hafeez first answered it with a huge six over long-on in the second over before dispatching a couple of deliveries to the boundary. Nazir has also settled in pretty well and has quickly moved to 21 runs courtesy of four lovely boundaries. This is looking like a very good start.
Pakistan 1-0 after 1 over
Hafeez 1, Nazir 0
For Pak supporters, don’t worry— a slow start doesn’t mean a bad total eventually. But, missed catches certainly mean a lot and NZ supporters should hope Taylor’s drop at first slip won’t trouble them too much. Hafeez survives after edging a delivery to the usually safe pair of hands. Lucky, there.
Hafeez and Nazir to open the innings for Pakistan. Here we go…
Pakistan have won the toss and will bat first
New Zealand: Rob Nicol, James Franklin, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Kane Williamson, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arafat, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal
