Mercurial Pakistan crush NZ
Razzaq's performance hands the tourists 103 run win but NZ clinch T20 series 2-1.
CHRISTCHURCH:
Pakistan humiliated New Zealand in the third and final Twenty20 in Christchurch as the Black Caps slumped to their lowest-ever total in the shortest form of the game.
New Zealand collapsed spectacularly chasing Pakistan’s 183 for six, with the top four batsmen all out for naught as the mercurial tourists shrugged off a form slump that cost them the first two games of the three-match series.
Scott Styris was the only New Zealander who offered any resistance, scoring 45 off 34 balls as Abdul Razzaq and Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi tore through the batting line up. None of Styris’ teammates reached double figures, dispelling the optimism that lifted the New Zealand camp after coach John Wright’s appointment before the series.
“It’s a very disappointing way to end the series,” said captain Ross Taylor, who was dismissed without scoring. “When your four top batsmen get out for nothing it’s pretty tough chasing a total.”
New Zealand’s total of 80 after 15.5 overs was their lowest in Twenty20 internationals and Pakistan’s 103-run winning margin was the largest between two Test playing nations.
Afridi said he wanted to set an imposing target after electing to bat on a dry wicket. His batsmen backed him up with a sparkling display, while Afridi himself led from the front, scoring a rapid-fire 14 before snaring four for 14, including the dogged Styris.
“This is the talent of Pakistan but we should be consistent,” said Afridi. “We’re trying to make a team combination before the World Cup. I know we lost the series but this was a big win for us to keep our morale high.”
Openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez went after New Zealand’s bowlers from the outset, scoring at a rate of almost 10 an over for a partnership of 81 to give Pakistan their best start of the series. Shehzad threw off the shackles and raced to 27 after three overs, punishing short-pitched deliveries from the 18-year-old fast-bowler Adam Milne, who finished with one for 48 on his debut.
Shehzad was similarly dismissive when the more experienced Tim Southee was called into the attack. Hafeez made 34 from 23 balls before mistiming a wide pitched delivery from James Franklin and falling to a leaping one-handed catch from Taylor. Razzaq also pitched in with 34 not out then took three wickets for 13 in a man-of-the-match performance.
New Zealand fell apart in reply and were four wickets down for three runs in the third over. Any hopes the home side had for a miracle were dashed when Styris went leg-before to Afridi in the 14th over.
The teams will next play two Test matches in January, followed by six One-Day Internationals.
Afridi crosses 50-wicket mark
When he dismissed Nathan McCullum, Shahid Afridi became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in Twenty20 cricket. The all-rounder, who has played 42 matches, now has 53 wickets with career-best figures of 4 for 11 and an average of 18.39. The list of most wickets in a career is led by Afridi followed by Pakistan’s Umar Gul (47) and Saeed Ajmal (41).
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2010.
Pakistan humiliated New Zealand in the third and final Twenty20 in Christchurch as the Black Caps slumped to their lowest-ever total in the shortest form of the game.
New Zealand collapsed spectacularly chasing Pakistan’s 183 for six, with the top four batsmen all out for naught as the mercurial tourists shrugged off a form slump that cost them the first two games of the three-match series.
Scott Styris was the only New Zealander who offered any resistance, scoring 45 off 34 balls as Abdul Razzaq and Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi tore through the batting line up. None of Styris’ teammates reached double figures, dispelling the optimism that lifted the New Zealand camp after coach John Wright’s appointment before the series.
“It’s a very disappointing way to end the series,” said captain Ross Taylor, who was dismissed without scoring. “When your four top batsmen get out for nothing it’s pretty tough chasing a total.”
New Zealand’s total of 80 after 15.5 overs was their lowest in Twenty20 internationals and Pakistan’s 103-run winning margin was the largest between two Test playing nations.
Afridi said he wanted to set an imposing target after electing to bat on a dry wicket. His batsmen backed him up with a sparkling display, while Afridi himself led from the front, scoring a rapid-fire 14 before snaring four for 14, including the dogged Styris.
“This is the talent of Pakistan but we should be consistent,” said Afridi. “We’re trying to make a team combination before the World Cup. I know we lost the series but this was a big win for us to keep our morale high.”
Openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez went after New Zealand’s bowlers from the outset, scoring at a rate of almost 10 an over for a partnership of 81 to give Pakistan their best start of the series. Shehzad threw off the shackles and raced to 27 after three overs, punishing short-pitched deliveries from the 18-year-old fast-bowler Adam Milne, who finished with one for 48 on his debut.
Shehzad was similarly dismissive when the more experienced Tim Southee was called into the attack. Hafeez made 34 from 23 balls before mistiming a wide pitched delivery from James Franklin and falling to a leaping one-handed catch from Taylor. Razzaq also pitched in with 34 not out then took three wickets for 13 in a man-of-the-match performance.
New Zealand fell apart in reply and were four wickets down for three runs in the third over. Any hopes the home side had for a miracle were dashed when Styris went leg-before to Afridi in the 14th over.
The teams will next play two Test matches in January, followed by six One-Day Internationals.
Afridi crosses 50-wicket mark
When he dismissed Nathan McCullum, Shahid Afridi became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in Twenty20 cricket. The all-rounder, who has played 42 matches, now has 53 wickets with career-best figures of 4 for 11 and an average of 18.39. The list of most wickets in a career is led by Afridi followed by Pakistan’s Umar Gul (47) and Saeed Ajmal (41).
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2010.