New Zealand vs Pakistan, 2nd T20I, Review: Underrated visitors register first win on tour

Team Pakistan were tremendous pressure as they took on New Zealand in the second T20I at Auckland. The series defeat loomed largely over their heads. They knew they had to bat out of their skins to beat the in-form New Zealand side. After having seen quite a few batting collapses on the tour already, this seemed to be improbable. But it was a different Pakistani side that took the field on the day. They looked like a formidable outfit determined to get their first points on the board on the tour.

Coming to the match, Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and opted to bat first. The expectations of the local fans seemed clear – the Men in Green would succumb to the moving ball early on in the innings. Well, that had been the case thus far in the series, and on the tour for that matter. But, the Pakistani openers shocked everyone by coming up with a plan that not many could digest.

Fakhar Zaman and Ahmed Shehzad led the onslaught right from the word go. The duo did not let any New Zealand bowler settle down with his lines. Zaman and Shehzad added a brisk 94 runs for the opening wicket in just 60 deliveries. Seth Rance was at the receiving end of the heavy onslaught. Much to the relief of the hosts, it was the same Rance who managed to give them the first breakthrough.

He sent Ahmed Shehzad packing for 44 that came off 34 deliveries with six boundaries and a six. Zaman reached his fifty but could not continue thereafter. In the very next over, the 11th over, Colin de Grandhomme managed to dismiss Zaman on 50. Zaman’s fifty came off 28 deliveries with 5 boundaries and 3 towering maximums. Pakistan were in a spot of bother with two new batsmen – Sarfaraz Ahmed and Babar Azam at the crease.

The two batsmen took very little time to sight the ball and did not let the tempo go down. Sarfraz hit a brisk 41 off 24 deliveries with a couple of fours and 3 sixes. Ben Wheeler accounted for his dismissal in the penultimate over. On the very next delivery, he sent Faheem Ashraf packing for a golden duck too. In the end, the efforts from the Kiwi bowlers came a little too late.

Babar Azam, from the other end, hit a four on the final ball of the over to reach his fifty and to take the team’s total over the 200-run mark. Azam’s unbeaten 50 off 29 balls included five fours and a six as Pakistan posted a mammoth 201/4 in their stipulated 20 overs.

And the run chase

With a target in excess of 200, the New Zealand side desperately wanted Colin Munro to fire in the run chase. Munro, who has 3 T20I centuries to his name, failed to deliver as Mohammad Amir trapped him lbw in the third over of the match on just 1. Things only got worse for the hosts as Rumman Raees sent Kane Williamson packing for a golden duck in the next over.

Tom Bruce showed some spark with a four and a six to his name en route his 11 runs. He perished in the last over of the powerplay after being run out by a good craft of Haris Sohail. Martin Guptill, who had opened the innings, believed it was high time to counter attack. But his intentions went in vain too as he could hardly get his feet moving. His struggle at the crease lasted for 27 deliveries and yielded just 26 runs.

He was dismissed by Shadab Khan in the 7th over. At 52/4, New Zealand needed some serious reconstruction work. The men in-charge of doing this were Colin de Grandhomme and Glenn Phillips. Phillips could not take the stage in his hands and gave away his wicket after just 5 to Faheem Ashraf.

Colin de Grandhomme, who had taken away an ODI from Pakistan earlier on the tour, hit a four and a six to threaten the visitors. But his knock of 10 runs was cut short by Shadab Khan who had him stumped in the 9th over. At 64/6 in 9.2 overs, the visitors sensed blood and wanted to go for the kill.

Ben Wheeler and Mitchell Santner provided the anti-climax for the game though. Just when one thought the Pakistani bowlers were in control of the game, they added 54 runs for the 7th wicket. Wheeler scored a a 20-ball 30 before Hasan Ali cleaned him up in the 15th over. Mitchell Santner (37 off 28 balls) and Ish Sodhi (15 off 12 balls) swung at almost everything after that.

But the task was a little too much for them to accomplish. New Zealand could only muster 153 in 18.3 overs. Pakistan won by 48 runs and registered their first win on the tour. Faheem Ashraf was the pick of the bowlers with 3/22 to his name.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan 201/4 in 20 overs (Babar Azam 50*, Zaman 50, Wheeler 2/36, Grandhomme 1/18)

New Zealand 153/10 in 18.3 overs (Santner 37, Wheeler 30, Ashraf 3/22, Amir 2/28)

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