Welcome to the highlights of the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 match between Pakistan and New Zealand. This was Santadeep Dey , bringing you all the action as it unfolded at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium .
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT THEY SAID
Haris Rauf, Player of the Match : I am happy with the performance. The team and support staff have been excellent. The wicket of Guptill in the PowerPlay was the best among the four wickets.
RESULT: PAKISTAN BEATS NEW ZEALAND BY FIVE WICKETS
PAK INNINGS
PAK 135/5 in 18.4 overs: The knock on Asif's head seems to have taken a toll. The physio has had to step out again. He is good to carry on though. SIX! Asif swings himself off his feet and that should be it. Right... two to win and they get it quite easily. Pakistan has 2/2; they are done with the major hurdles in India and New Zealand.
PAK 126/5 in 18 overs: Slashed away for four by Malik behind point to mark a poor start from Santner. Pakistan on the charge in Sharjah! Malik is so, so strong against spin - meets Santner with a straight bat and there was no way this was landing anywhere within the limits the moment it came off the bat. PAK needs nine off the last two overs.
PAK 111/5 in 17 overs: Slow ball. Half volley. And bam! The ball has gone screaming into the stands. Asif shows precisely why Pakistan is still very much in the game. AND AGAIN! Consecutive sixes off Southee's bowling. NZ review an LBW decision but 'Missing' it is. Asif has been hit on the grille. The ball skidded off the surface and the top edge smashes into the helmet. The compulsory concussion test is on.
PAK 98/5 in 16 overs: Malik charges down the ground, doesn't get enough on this widish delivery by Sodhi but it has raced away to the fence.
PAK 91/5 in 15 overs: Stand and deliver. Boult bangs a slower one halfway down and Imad does well to wait for it before lofting it over the 30-yard circle to collect four runs. WICKET! Boult gets one to crash into Imad's left leg and that should be it. Malik deters Imad from going for the review. Asif Ali walks in and picks up a boundary straightaway.
PAK 82/4 in 14 overs: The required rate is over 9 an over now as Sodhi completes another economical over.
PAK 75/4 in 13 overs: Neesham gets one to caress Imad's pads before Seifert pouches it behind the sticks. There is an appeal but it falls on deaf ears.
PAK 70/4 in 12 overs: For the first time in this World Cup, Malik walks in. Who would believe this man here made his debut way back in 1999?! He is the only Pakistan cricketer to have played in four decades - 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and now 2020s. Rizwan goes over the cow corner. Four runs. LBW! The ball skids onto Rizwan's pads; this was definitely hitting middle and leg. Big fish, you say? Imad is in.
PAK 63/3 in 11 overs: WHAAAAAAAAAAA... I can assure you Conway took flight for a few seconds there. Get that man a cape... Hafeez doesn't believe what he is seeing. RIDICULOUS!
PAK 58/2 in 10 overs: NZ has suddenly found a spring in its step; Rizwan shimmies down the track but misses all of a low-keeping length ball. Well, ignore the last sentence. Hafeez has just made a move and into the stands it goes! Time for the drinks break.
PAK 47/2 in 9 overs: Sodhi starts off with a quicker delivery on the line of off. OUT OF THE STADIUM... Zaman has let it rip and how! This was revved into his zone and out went the ball. New Zealand review... 1, 2, 3 reds it is... OUT! Sodhi gets the breakthrough. Would have gone on to hit the top of middle. Fakhar departs.
PAK 39/1 in 8 overs: Neesham to bowl his first. Ooooh... close! Fakhar steps out off the third ball and gets beaten by a mile. At this stage, NZ was 48/1.
PAK 36/1 in 7 overs: A faint bottom edge is good enough to get the ball to the boundary as Rizwan continues the onslaught against Santner. Guptill leaves the ground, still reeling from the Rauf toe-crusher earlier in the day. Chapman walks in as sub.
PAK 30/1 in 6 overs: Southee's 100th wicket in T20I and it is a big one! Babar Azam has just been castled. Fakhar Zaman comes to the crease.
PAK 28/0 in 5 overs: Rizwan pounds it into the ground, well square of the wicket to pick up four more. Timed to perfection! This must be frustrating for Boult. Meanwhile, a Mexican wave is on in the stands.
PAK 22/0 in 4 overs: Disappears for four... Rizwan gets into position early and sets himself up for the pull. Wow!
PAK 14/0 in 3 overs: Boult who? Rizwan beats Guptill on the front of square on the onside to pick up four runs off Boult's very first ball. Boult hits Rizwan in the box. Ouch, that must have hurt!
PAK 9/0 in 2 overs: Southee to share the new ball. Reload - Southee bowls the first extra of this innings. It is a wide down leg side.
PAK 7/0 in 1 over: Rizwan is up and running with a single. The Pakistan skipper goes a step further; Santner floats it in from outside the off stump and Babar launches it into the night sky to pick up a one-bounce four.
Babar and Rizwan, both in top form, make their way into the middle. Santner will get things started for the Kiwis.
TARGET: PAK NEEDS 135 TO WIN VS NZ
NZ INNINGS
NZ 134/8 in 20 overs: Almost another dismissal as the ball lands just short of Babar at mid-off. Santner heaves a sigh of relief! He makes some room for himself next and gets four runs. However, Rauf knocks him over off the final ball of the innings to finish with 4/22; his best figures.
NZ 125/7 in 19 overs: A slower ball from Afridi to start off his last over. Clearly going down leg this, but Pakistan reviews anyway. 1/2 reviews remains. Cheeky! This was going for the middle stump but Seifert has somehow paddled it towards the fence. AND GONE! A leading edge lobs down to Hafeez at backward point.
NZ 119/6 in 18 overs: Conway picks out Babar at the cow corner. Just couldn't get enough behind the shot and the Pakistan skipper won't let go of opportunities like this.Another one bites the dust... Pakistan is all over the Kiwis in Sharjah. Hasan takes a tumble at deep mid-wicket but holds onto a terrific catch to send Phillips back into the hut.
NZ 116/4 in 17 overs: Conway and Phillips are both quick between the wickets but for now, they are being restricted to singles. It has been more than three overs since the last boundary was hit. At the present scoring rate, NZ will just manage to cross 130. And finally, Conway drills one down the track to pick up four runs off the last ball.
NZ 107/4 in 16 overs: Hasan starts off with a yorker. Seven come off this over as Phillips and Conway sneak in a deft double off the last delivery.
NZ 100/4 in 15 overs: Rauf's back to inflict further damage. Phillips survives a scare - was looking for a second but Conway sends him back, Phillips slips but regains balance to make it back just in time. The 100 comes up; it has taken a while.
NZ 95/4 in 14 overs: The Zings are up and it is game over for the Black Caps skipper! Williamson punches it right back at the bowler and saunters a few steps down the track in search of a single. Hasan doesn't bat an eye before breaking the timber with a direct hit. Hasan transgresses the line again. Second no ball for him for the game. Phillips finds deep backward square off the free hit.
NZ 90/3 in 13 overs: Three back-to-back boundaries for Conway... first one a misfield by Ali, second one swept towards square leg, third a reverse sweep past short third.
NZ 74/3 in 12 overs: Hafeez slides one in as Williamson attempts the reverse-sweep. The ball thuds into the front pad and Hafeez goes up in appeal. OUT! Given by the umpire but Williamson opts for a review instantly. Massive inside-edge there and he survives! Williamson instantly makes the bowler punish with an excellent flick to the mid-wicket boundary before dancing down the wicket and lofting Hafeez for SIX over long-on.
NZ 63/3 in 11 overs: Shadab beats Williamson's outside edge with a zipping leg-break. Williamson gets off strike with a single. Conway fails to read the leggie completely and slips while attempting a sweep. Pakistan well in control of proceedings here.
NZ 60/3 in 10 overs: Hafeez to Neesham. OUT! The Professor strikes first ball. Neesham attempts for the heave over mid-wicket but finds the fielder in the deep and it's Fakhar again. Excellent start for Hafeez as he keeps the ball flat and tight to Williamson and his new partner, Conway.
NZ 56/2 in 9 overs: Imad to Mitchell. OUT! Holes out to long-on! Doesn't get his timing right this time. Mitchell slogs it off the toe of the bat as Imad slides the ball in. Easy take for Fakhar at the fence and the Kiwis smell some trouble here. Neesham in at 4.
NZ 48/1 in 8 overs: Shadab starts off with a googly that thuds onto Mitchell's pads. There is an appeal but seems like it would have just gone on to miss leg.
NZ 45/1 in 7 overs: Imad keeps things tidy to concede only three off this over.
NZ 42/1 in 6 overs:Off the pad and onto the stumps... Haris Rauf strikes! Guptill's struggles come to an end. Skipper Williamson is the new man at the crease. He whips one off his pads to pick up his first four of the innings.
NZ 36/0 in 5 overs: Hasan Ali has been greeted with a maximum by Mitchell. This was pitched on length and Mitchell lifts it right off the meat of the bat. Pressure straightaway on the Pakistani pacer. Another four, over backward point! And it is a no ball as well; Hasan was a long way over the crease. The Free Hit ball is however a fiery yorker. Nothing much that Mitchell could do about it.
NZ 21/0 in 4 overs: Imad is targeting the short-of-a-length area, not allowing the Kiwis to go down the ground. Rizwan, meanwhile, continues to encourage his teammate from behind the stumps, asking the spinner to bowl fuller. The last one has been banged short and Guptill pounces at the freebie. Rocks back, frees his arms and beats Malik's dive at point.
NZ 15/0 in 3 overs: Mitchell scores the first runs off Afridi - a couple off a wristy push towards mid-wicket. Short and wide, and Mitchell has slapped it with disdain through cover. Four runs.
NZ 7/0 in 2 overs: Spin has been introduced from the other end; Imad Wasim into the attack. Mitchell gets off the mark with a single towards long-on. Guptill picks up the first boundary of the innings. There was a bit of width on offer and Guptill has cut it away past cover.
NZ 0/0 in 1 over: Shaheen Shah Afridi, backed by a raucous crowd, gets the new ball to swing straightaway. Guptill is facing him. A slip is in place for Pakistan's premier pacer. There is an appeal for caught behind off the last ball but the umpire isn't interested. A maiden to start by Afridi!
- TheNew Zealand players take a knee. Their opponents keep their hands on their hearts to show support.
- Time for the anthems. New Zealand up first.
PLAYING XI
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (w), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (c), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Tim Seifert (w), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
WHAT THEY SAID
Babar Azam, PAK skipper : We will bowl first. Hopefully we can take early wickets and restrict them to a low score. Dew is also a factor. We will play the same team.
Kane Williamson, NZ captain: It's nice to get started. A nice crowd out there, although they are against us. Unfortunately, Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the tournament. Adam Milne joins the squad, pending ICC approval. For today, we're having Tim, Trent, Ish, Santner and Neesham.
TOSS
Coin flip favours Babar Azam and Co. Pakistan opts to field.
JUST IN: Oh no! Pacer Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the T20 WC with a calf tear, confirms NZC. Adam Milne will replace him in the 15-player tournament squad subject to approval by the ICC Technical Committee.
Fan colours
MATCH PREVIEW
Pakistan will have revenge on its mind for a recent off-field snub when it takes on New Zealand in the T20 World Cup today, looking to build on the historic high of beating arch-rival India in the tournament-opener.
For a lot of Pakistani fans, the team may have already won the World Cup by ending its 29-year-old World Cup jinx against India but the Babar Azam-led team has already shown the hunger for going all the way.
After the 10-wicket rout of India, Pakistan is fully capable of self-destructing against the Black Caps, something that Babar discussed with his players in the dressing room after the win on Sunday night.
FOLLOW |
"We have not just come here to win against India, we have come here to win the World Cup. Always remember that," Babar said after the match, fully aware that excess celebrations would only disturb focus.
Former Pakistan captains too have cautioned the players against extended celebrations as the team needs to do a lot more to make the semifinals.
Babar's team would be eyeing another big scalp against New Zealand, the team which recently withdrew from a scheduled series against Pakistan after landing there, citing a security threat which, according to the host country, did not exist.
The pullout hampered Pakistan's World Cup preparations which took a further hit with England too withdrawing from the tour.
Babar had hardly minced words in criticising the two sides saying that his country has "always tried to accommodate the interests of the game but others simply don't." Tuesday's game is being perceived by Pakistan's cricket community as an opportunity for the team to extract revenge for the damage that New Zealand caused by going back without playing.
Despite a difficult month, which also saw changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) administration, the team seemed like a well-oiled machine against India, not putting a foot wrong in a performance that was stunning to many.
The side's batting, though not yet tested fully, seems to have the firepower with Babar and Mohammad Rizwan doing a sensational job at the top.
READ |
With seasoned pros like Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik making the middle order, it is safe to assume that New Zealand's bowlers have a task at hand.
They also have a lot of options in the bowling department, be it pace or spin. Pakistan used seven bowlers against India and veteran Malik wasn't even one of them.
He didn't need to be used as the spin troika of Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan and Hafeez kept things tight.
Shaheen Shah Afridi was sensational with the new ball and New Zealand openers will have to watch out for his fast in-swinging yorkers.
Haris Rauf, another pacer who bowls in the range of 145-150kmph, showed he will be difficult to hit in the death overs.
ALSO READ |
New Zealand has not had the best of build-ups to its campaign, having lost to Australia and England in the warm-ups. One of their main concerns is the fitness of skipper Kane Williamson, who is battling with elbow pain for a while now and head coach Gary Stead said the injury had flared up a bit in the game against Australia.
Williamson did not bat against England. The Black Caps have a world-class bowing attack but their batters need to step up.
Despite the many concerns, they have a consistent record in ICC events and one can't rule them out for a place in the final four.
As the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh match suggested, the Sharjah pitch is changing its slow and low nature which was seen in the IPL and one can expect a good batting surface for game on Tuesday evening.
- Press Trust of India
PAK vs NZ DREAM11 PREDICTION
Wicketkeepers – Mohammad Rizwan (c)
Batters – Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kane Williamson (vc)
All-rounders – Jimmy Neesham, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim
Bowlers – Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi
Team Composition: PAK 7:4 NZ Credits left: 0.5
PREDICTED XI
Pakistan: Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
New Zealand:
Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert(wk), Kane Williamson(c), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Daryl Mitchell/Todd Astle, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
PAK VS NZ HEAD TO HEAD STATS
Span: 2007-2021
Matches: 24
Won: Pakistan - 14 , New Zealand - 10
PAK's highest score vs NZ: 201
PAK's lowest score vs NZ: 100
NZ's highest score vs PAK: 196
NZ's lowest score vs PAK: 80
STARS OF THE FIXTURE (OVERALL)
SQUADS
Pakistan : Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik
Reserves: Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee
Reserves: Adam Milne
WHERE TO WATCH T20 WORLD CUP 2021 - PAKISTAN VS NEW ZEALAND SUPER 12 LIVE?
The PAK vs NZ match will be aired LIVE on Star Sports 1 , Star Sports 1 HD , Star Sports 1 Hindi , Star Sports 1 Hindi HD , Star Sports 1 Tamil , Star Sports 1 Telugu and Star Sports 1 Kannada . The match will also be live streamed on Hotstar .
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