New Zealand 151 for 2 (Guptill 86*, Taylor 44) beat Pakistan
246 for 9 (Hafeez 60, Shadab 52, Hasan 51, Ferguson 3-39) by eight wickets (DLS
method)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
For the second time this series, rain intervened before the
match was finished with New Zealand in front. This time, it subsided early
enough for further play to be possible and for Martin Guptill to storm back to
form. An explosive innings from the opener - who scored 86 off 71 balls -
ensured New Zealand carried a 2-0 lead into into the third ODI at Dunedin with
an eight-wicket win.
After a two-hour delay, New Zealand's target was revised
from 247 to 151 in 25 overs, with a further 87 required in 11 overs after the
resumption. Guptill made it look supremely straightforward, smashing Hasan Ali
for consecutive sixes in his first over back. The sixes were hit at will for
Guptill - five of them in total - while Ross Taylor provided suitable support.
Pakistan fell apart spectacularly in the field, and New Zealand completed the
chase with seven balls to spare.
 |
| Martin Guptill hits one square on the off side |
Before the interruption, New Zealand spent much of the game
enjoying the upper hand, and barring the salvo of a 49-ball 70 run partnership
between Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan, Pakistan couldn't quite lay claim on any
passage of play.
Sarfraz Ahmed might have made a different decision at the
toss, but that didn't change how the innings panned out. Pakistan, batting
first, turned in another limp batting performance. All five regular bowlers
chipped in with wickets, and it was left to Pakistan's lower order to respond
with a magnificent rearguard action as half-centuries from Hasan and Shadab
took Pakistan - once tottering at 141 for 7 - to a more presentable 246.
De Grandhomme back in ODI squad
Colin de Grandhomme has been added to New Zealand's squad
ahead of the third ODI against Pakistan. De Grandhomme had missed the series
against West Indies, and the first two ODIs against Pakistan following the
death of his father. George Worker has been excluded from the squad.
"It's been a difficult time for Colin and I know the
group are excited to catch up with him," selector Gavin Larsen said.
"Everyone has been thinking of him while he's been away, He'll play for
Auckland on Wednesday and, all going well, will join the team in Dunedin on
Thursday."
The surface in Nelson looked dry, and even Kane Williamson
admitted he would have much preferred to bat first, but his opening bowlers
didn't leave him wistful for too long. Tim Southee and Trent Boult were at the
openers straightaway, Azhar Ali and Imam-ul-Haq - in for the injured Fakhar
Zaman - struggling against generous early swing. At the same time, Boult was
dangerous with the short ball, with Azhar survived a caught behind after a
review showed it was in fact his helmet that had grazed the ball on the way
through to the keeper.
Boult wasn't to be denied in his next over, though. It was
the short ball that brought the breakthrough, as Imam was unable to get on top
of the bounce, and the pull shot went straight to Colin Munro at square leg.
Azhar followed him in the next over. Tim Southee got the
wicket in almost identical fashion to the first ODI, Azhar falling over to off
stump and missing a straight one that thudded into his pads.
Babar Azam played a loose shot unbecoming of the reputation
and class to leave Pakistan wobbling at 39 for 3, and it was up to old hands
Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez to regroup. A 45-run partnership provided some
hope of a Pakistan revival, as the pair began to rotate the strike regularly
and use their feet to the spinners. But just as the momentum was shifting,
Malik danced down the wicket and hit one straight to long-on.
Sarfraz and Hafeez were Pakistan's last recognised batsmen,
but both fell to indifferent shots. Sarfraz's was shocking, coming down the
wicket to a short ball from Todd Astle and getting himself stumped. A few overs
later, Hafeez, after compiling 60 classy runs, charged Mitchell Santner in
similarly unseemly fashion, only succeeding in chipping to short cover.
The innings looked to be petering out well under 200, and it
took a whirlwind partnership between Shadab and No. 9 Hasan to restore some
competitiveness to the contest. Hasan took charge in their stand, striking four
boundaries and four sixes, beginning his assault with successive sixes off
Mitchell Santner. Ferguson struck him with a vicious bouncer around the neck,
but he wasn't dissuaded, taking the attack to the quicks as well as New Zealand
lost their discipline. Astle went for 21 runs in an over, while Boult bowled
two full tosses around waist height - only one of which was called - as the
runs began to flow freely.
Southee was smashed for 12 in three balls to bring up a
30-ball fifty, but the bowler dismissed Hasan off the next ball. Shadab
continued to attack, as Pakistan took 13 off Southee's final over. Boult wasn't
spared either as a gorgeous cover drive off the left-armer brought up Shadab's
half-century.
New Zealand started their chase shakily, Mohammad Amir -
looking near his fearsome best - forcing a false shot from Munro to send him
back for a duck. Williamson and Guptill restored some order, before a superb
diving catch at point from Shadab left New Zealand at 47 for 2.
Pakistan may have felt they were right back in the game,
before the rain break. By the time the rain subsided, Guptill appeared to be a
different batsman, one against whom a lackadaisical Pakistan stood no chance.
More Updates:ABOC-Cricinfo
No comments:
Post a Comment