4-30 from Shaheen Shah Afridi and crucial middle-overs strikes from Usama Mir derailing a chase that had looked on course until the eight-over mark. Josh Clarkson’s unbeaten 26-ball 38 kept New Zealand’s interest alive right till the death, but he would run out of partners with a pair of frenetic final-over run-outs as Pakistan edged through in a tight contest. Shaheen Shah Afridi proved to be a star in the bowling attack for Pakistan cricket Team.
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s four wicket haul ensured Pakistan salvaged pride after New Zealand look ominous at the start in the pursuit of 178 an identical score third time in the row in this series . Babar Azam too shine with the bat as Pakistan reached respectability after first innings. Shaheen Shah Afridi proved when it mattered more it was Shaheen whom Pakistan has to look upto.
Pitch and Toss
This surface has favored the batters till now. The team batting first has a good record of winning matches here too so the toss winner will look to bat here and post a competitive total on the board.
New Zealand skipper Micheal Bracewell won the toss and chose to field as three changes were done in the New Zealand team Tim Seifert, Cole McConchie and Zakary Foulkes are back in the side. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam batting first made one change bringing in Shaheen Shan Afridi for Zaman Khan.
Babar Azam stamps his authority
It may not solve any of Pakistan’s problems or address the underlying causes of criticism Babar receives, but there’s little doubt the impact the Pakistan captain’s knock had on Pakistan today was decisively positive. Saim Ayub has struggled for runs this series, and his early dismissal shunted Babar into a position of even greater prominence in this Powerplay, and he marked the moment by taking the attack to Zak Foulkes and Ben Sears, racing to 30 off 15.
Crucially, there wasn’t a pronounced post-Powerplay slump as Babar held one end up while keeping the runs ticking over, and looking in great touch in the process. A huge six off Ish Sodhi as Fakhar Zaman took his time to bed in ensured the visitors couldn’t build too much pressure on Pakistan, and by the time Sears cleaned him up with a stunning yorker, the infrastructure that allowed Pakistan to lift off had been constructed.
Fakhar tees off after good fortune to make Pakistan reach 178 for 5 after 20 overs.
Should Fakhar have been dismissed before the most explosive phase of his innings got underway. Tim Seifert certainly thought so. Fakhar was beaten by a slower delivery as he tried to heave it towards midwicket, and was casual as he regained his shape, with his bat hanging loosely behind him as it tipped the bails off.
New Zealand appealed and the umpire referred it upstairs, but the third umpire deemed the ball to be dead by then. New Zealand’s frustration was compounded as Fakhar plundered 14 off the next three balls to set Pakistan up for a big finish. Shadab joined in as well as the hosts took 39 off the last three overs, as well as some of the momentum going in at the halfway stage.
Tim Seifert, Powerplay fireworks puts NZ right into the chase
Pakistan have spent much of this series engaged in a familiar debate about how best to utilize the Powerplay. Two days ago, New Zealand opener Tim Robinson gave them a glimpse into how to go about it. Today, his replacement, another Tim – Seifert – illustrated it just about perfectly once more.
Pakistan had kept things tight the first three overs, but by the time Mohammad Amir came in to bowl, Seifert launched. He picked the leg cutter early and clobbered it over long-on for a colossal six, before following it up with a pair of boundaries that got the visitors going. Abbas Afridi, too, saw his first ball launched out of the ground, and another loose delivery clipped around fine leg.
Amir would return for more punishment as Seifert smashed him for three boundaries off the back foot to race along to a 30-ball half-century. It wasn’t until he was dismissed that the game began to turn; by then, New Zealand had raced along to 81 in eight overs.
Spin strikes back as Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-30 gives Pakistan pride salving victory
Usama had a torrid fourth game and with a surfeit of leg spin options for Pakistan, time to impress was fast running out. He’d laid a solid platform, conceding just three in the first over as runs rained all around him, but this was his moment to shine. Seifert lost his shape as he tried to slog it over the onside and found his furniture disturbed in the process.
It would end up being a wicket maiden that changed the course of the game as Mir cleaned up Chapman in his following over. Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim got in on the act with wickets in the following two overs as Pakistan burrowed deep into the New Zealand lower order.
Shaheen Shah Afridi would have his say to effectively kill the game off with two wickets in two balls as New Zealand lost 6-40 in 39 balls. They would never recover from that barrage of body blows, and Pakistan would salvage a series draw despite Clarkson’s best late efforts.
It got a little hairy at the death, but Pakistan just about managed to salvage some pride in this series, scraping to a 9-run win to level the T20I series 2-2. Babar Azam’s 43-ball 69 and late fireworks from Fakhar Zaman saw Pakistan post 178, the third successive time that has been the first innings total this series.
But New Zealand were looking like they would make short work of the chase despite the early loss of Tom Blundell, but Pakistan’s bowlers hit back hard in the second half of that chase, with 4-30 from Shaheen Shah Afridi and crucial middle-overs strikes from Usama Mir derailing a chase that had looked on course until the eight-over mark. Josh Clarkson’s unbeaten 26-ball 38 kept New Zealand’s interest alive right till the death, but he would run out of partners with a pair of frenetic final-over run-outs as Pakistan edged through in a tight contest.
Presentations and Road Ahead.
Micheal Bracewell the loosing skipper said :
“I think it’s a fair reflection of the series, I’m very happy that we came here and adjusted to the conditions. Credit to Pakistan, they were brilliant today. We lost a couple of wickets in the middle and we lost momentum there, Usama Mir and Shaheen Afridi bowled really well and that is where we lost momentum,”
“It has been a great series, it’s been a great experience playing in these conditions and the debutants did well. I think the way we were able to learn from every game and adapt was really good,” he added.
Babar Azam the winning skipper said :
“The fast bowlers were getting swing early on. After the powerplay, Usama got help from the wicket, we did what we felt best according to the situation, we used eight bowlers today and four of them were spinners. It becomes difficult when you have so many options,”
“Shady (Shadab Khan) has a great experience, he can bowl well in the middle overs. Usama Mir bowled a brilliant spell today. Here the new ball comes on nicely to the bat, when the ball becomes old, the cutters hold a bit,” he stated.
“The way we planned, it didn’t go accordingly and I felt we were 10 runs short but it was still a par score. As a batsman, you have to be proactive, you have to mark the fielders and pick your spots, you also have to focus on strike rotation. Throughout the series, we tried different combinations, we tinkered with the batting order, we tried different bowlers at different stages, we will focus on where we can improve,” he added.
Shaheen Shah Afridi Player of the Match and Series for his innings said :
“Whatever is happening, it’s good for the team. I try to strike with the ball, also try to contribute with the bat and in the field. The ball was keeping a bit low and so we focused on bowling wicket-to-wicket and also on variations and it worked. When the ball is reversing, I try to mix things up but the yorker is the best ball in any format,”
We have witnessed another thrilling game in this series and Pakistan have held their nerves to notch up a victory to end the series on a high. Credit to the Kiwis for giving the hosts a run for their money. The run-chase didn’t start off on a bright note for NZ as Blundell was knocked over by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the first over itself.
But, Seifert took the attack to the opposition and hit the ball all around the park. Bracewell promoted himself up the order and played the perfect foil to the keeper-batter. Seifert brought up a 29-ball fifty but Usama Mir ended his stay soon after and he bowled a wicket-maiden to change the momentum of the game.
Chapman also fell to Mir in his next over. After that, Shadab and Imad took a wicket in their first over each. Then, Shaheen Shah Afridi returned for his second spell and took two wickets in two balls to exert pressure on the visitors. Shaheen Shah Afridi also trapped Sodhi in front in his final over to finish with a 4-fer but Clarkson kept his side in the hunt with his big hits. It came down to the last over and Amir held his nerves to help his side end up on the winning side.
After being bowled out for 90 in the second T20I, the inexperienced NZ side showed great all-round skills to come roaring back into the series with back-to-back wins. They were in with a shot to win the final T20I as well but Pakistan held their nerves when it mattered to deny them. Pakistan got what they wanted from this series. They tested their bench strength and tried out different combinations which will hold them in good stead before the T20 World Cup. Pakistan will now travel to Ireland for a 3-match T20I series before their tour of England.