- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR10.2 Launches height into the night sky but hasn't got the distance! How often have we seen that happen in T20 cricket, wicket straight after the pause. It was a full-bunger on middle, he saw the opportunity and swung lustily through the line, Iftikhar Ahmed perched on the edge of the boundary at long-on hang on to it brilliantly and after taking a few looks, third umpire confirms it's a clean catch, New Zealand have lost a few wickets in a cluster, window is open to pick a couple more to prevent a colossal total. Tim Robinson has done his job though, batted beautifully for his half-century 94/24.6 Pakistan finally manage to get a breakthrough! Usama Mir takes a superb running catch at short third, much-needed wicket for Pakistan. Blundell committed to the pull too early, just checked his shot and got the top edge that ballooned up, Usama was alert behind square on the leg side, sprinted across and gobbled it up down his throat with ease. Will this bring the scoring rate down? 56/114.3 Another one bites the dust! That hung in the air for a while and was snaffled while the fielder was moving to his left. Floated up shorter on off, got plenty of bounce, tries to get underneath and looked to big over deep midwicket, more elevation than distance, Fakhar is safe as a house in the outfield. Foxcroft loses the plot as he tried to accelerate, the wicket will stymie the run-flow 132/413.5 Shadab has taken a gem! Slowed it up on a length at middle, backed away and went for a full-blooded shot and it was destined to reach the fence but Shadab Khan had other ideas, he has taken an absolute screamer at wide mid-off, jumped one-handed instinctively and leapt onto it like a tiger catches its prey, such a livewire in the field, crucial wicket! Danger-man is out! 128/318.5 Iftikhar Ahmed charges in from the deep at long-off and pockets the catch low down, wheels off in a jubilation. It was full on a suffocating off-stump line, shovels it into the air and Iftikhar takes a stupendous diving catch, brilliant anticipation, Pakistan have been switched on in the field today. Captain has played a good hand, Neesham will have to take the responsibility now 169/518.6 Sounds the death rattle! That is a perfection execution of a yorker, demolished him with a searing inswinging yorker on middle, too good for thee, goes without troubling the scorers, It's been a magnificent spell from Abbas! He jammed the bat down an eternity after the stumps were flattened 169/619.6 Leg-cutter on a length wide outside off, swings big but doesn't control his bat and Iftikhar at mid-off is called into action again, he tracks the ball, settles under at takes an easy catch, it's his third catch. 178/7Extras14 (b 1, lb 1, nb 1, w 11)TOTAL178/7 (20 Overs, RR: 8.9)Fall of wickets: 1-56 (Tom Blundell, 4.6 ov), 2-94 (Tim Robinson, 10.2 ov), 3-128 (Mark Chapman, 13.5 ov), 4-132 (Dean Foxcroft, 14.3 ov), 5-169 (Michael Bracewell, 18.5 ov), 6-169 (Josh Clarkson, 18.6 ov), 7-178 (Ish Sodhi, 19.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ 0s 4s 6s WD NB Imad Wasim 4 0 32 0 8.00 7 2 1 4 0 Mohammad Amir 4 0 32 1 8.00 8 2 0 3 0 Zaman Khan 3 0 35 1 11.66 3 5 0 1 1 Abbas Afridi 3 0 20 3 6.66 9 3 0 1 0 Usama Mir 4 0 43 1 10.75 7 1 4 0 0 Iftikhar Ahmed 2 0 14 1 7.00 4 0 0 2 0
Player of the Match
Player of the Match
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR4.3 Looking to go over backward square but hasn't connected well, straight to fielder who reverse-cups, it, Clarkson making no mistake. Just a gentle flick and not enough power behind the shot, he looks crestfallen after that selection of shot. 40/21.6 Good length, shapes back from outside off, tempts him to go for a drive and he obliges, he pummels it straight to the fielder at short cover who dives forward and takes a stunning grab, Foxcroft with a brilliant piece of fielding in the circle, it was a slower one that totally flummoxed Babar. Massive wicket! 13/15.3 Soft dismissal! A massive blow and Pakistan are in a spot of bother. Hits it into the deck at middle, he dances down the track and lofts it straight to mid-on where Duffy made sure he doesn't drops a dolly. 46/317.4 Has he got enough? No, he hasn't. Is that the game? Searing yorker on the legs, chipped in the air and straight into the hands of Foxcroft who catches it brilliantly. Huge moment in the game. Fakhar cannot believe it, crowd cannot believe it. 146/69.4 In the air and Neesham doesn't errs on this occasion, didn't have to move much at deep midwicket and swallows it down his throat at deep midwicket, tossed up, wicket to wicket with some drift in, early through the hoick and Shadab has thrown his wicket away at a crucial juncture of the game. Mistimed it, just when Pakistan were getting a semblance of control, another wicket falls down. New Zealand sit in a strong position, one more wicket and it will become a herculean task for Pakistan to keep the asking rate in check, Imad and Iftikhar coming in next 79/416.3 Didn't time it well enoughSuch a timely breakthrough, twist in the tale! Lands it on a length wide of off, he throws the kitchen sink at it and it didn't make a good sound, Neesham comes in from deep cover and takes a comfortable catch at his waist height, Iftikhar is gutted with himself, his cameo comes to an end but there is still some batting to come. Imad coming in next 138/518.1 Over the wicket, harmless full-toss outside off slapped straight to mid-off, Abbas didn't respond to the call and gets run-out, sacrifices his wicket and rightly so, Imad was halfway down and Abbas took a few steps and then stopped 151/719.2 Tremendous riposte! Rams the yorker in the blockhole and he goes for a full-blooded swing towards the leg side, ball sneaks through and shatters the stumps, off his pads and onto the stumps, gotta go 165/8Extras13 (lb 5, w 8)TOTAL174/8 (20 Overs, RR: 8.7)Did not bat: Zaman KhanFall of wickets: 1-13 (Babar Azam, 1.6 ov), 2-40 (Saim Ayub, 4.3 ov), 3-46 (Usman Khan, 5.3 ov), 4-79 (Shadab Khan, 9.4 ov), 5-138 (Iftikhar Ahmed, 16.3 ov), 6-146 (Fakhar Zaman, 17.4 ov), 7-151 (Abbas Afridi, 18.1 ov), 8-165 (Usama Mir, 19.2 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ 0s 4s 6s WD NB JA Duffy 4 0 42 0 10.50 8 4 2 2 0 W O'Rourke 4 0 27 3 6.75 9 4 0 0 0 BV Sears 4 0 27 2 6.75 9 4 0 0 0 IS Sodhi 2 0 21 0 10.50 2 1 1 0 0 MG Bracewell 4 0 31 1 7.75 7 0 2 4 0 JDS Neesham 2 0 21 1 10.50 3 3 0 2 0
Match Details
Toss
Pakistan , elected to field first
Player Of The Match
Series result
New Zealand led the 5-match series 2-1
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50
Match days
25 April 2024 - night match (20-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Match Notes
- Powerplay: Overs 0.1 - 6.0 (Mandatory - 62 runs, 1 wicket)
- New Zealand: 50 runs in 4.3 overs (28 balls), Extras 5
- 1st Wicket: 50 runs in 28 balls (TB Robinson 23, TA Blundell 22, Ex 5)
- TB Robinson: 50 off 34 balls (4 x 4, 2 x 6)
- Drinks: New Zealand - 93/1 in 10.0 overs (TB Robinson 51, D Foxcroft 8)
- New Zealand: 100 runs in 11.2 overs (69 balls), Extras 7
- Over 15.6: Review by Pakistan (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - Rashid Riaz, Batter - JDS Neesham (Struck down)
- New Zealand: 150 runs in 16.3 overs (100 balls), Extras 11
- Innings Break: New Zealand - 178/7 in 20.0 overs (JDS Neesham 11)
- Powerplay: Overs 0.1 - 6.0 (Mandatory - 48 runs, 3 wickets)
- Pakistan: 50 runs in 6.1 overs (37 balls), Extras 3
- Drinks: Pakistan - 79/4 in 9.4 overs (Fakhar Zaman 27)
- Pakistan: 100 runs in 13.2 overs (80 balls), Extras 8
- Fakhar Zaman: 50 off 38 balls (3 x 4, 3 x 6)
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 34 balls (Fakhar Zaman 27, Iftikhar Ahmed 16, Ex 7)
- Pakistan: 150 runs in 17.6 overs (108 balls), Extras 12
Match Coverage
All Match NewsRobinson's fifty and O'Rourke's three-for give New Zealand unassailable 2-1 lead
Abbas Afridi's 3 for 20 and Fakhar Zaman's 45-ball 61 went in vain for Pakistan