Pakistan helped New Zealand to win after their long losing streak
Top Twenty20 team, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754. Good performance by the Kiwis, poor show by Pakistan and some dubious umpiring, cost Pakistan
their match. New Zealand won the toss and opted to field on a ground which is notorious for its shape. Mohammad Hafeez and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 gave the start Pakistan wanted and as expected, it was with a good strike rate. The captain Afridi was the first person
to get dismissed after he scored 20 runs off 12 balls. Ahmed Shehzad was the next man in and he started his innings with couple of fluent shots, however he could not last long before Tim Southee grabbed his wicket.
Wickets kept on tumbling after Tim Southee was introduced with the ball in his hands. Younis Khan returned to Twenty20 internationals, after retiring once. However, he could not bat the way he wanted to. Tim Southee bowled extremely well and with some assistance
from the debutant umpire Barry Frost, Southee completed his hat-trick. Frost was umpiring for the first time in an international clash, at the age of 52. He made a couple of wrong decisions and one of them was the LBW, given to Umar Akmal. Tim Southee bowled
short and wide, Younis chased the ball and was caught in the deep. The batsmen crossed and Muhammad Hafeez on the next ball nicked one, off Southee. Umar Akmal was the third player and unlucky to get out in the hat-trick. A replay clearly showed his bat hitting
the ball but was judged wrongly by the umpire.
Pakistan middle ordered failed again, as the Kiwi’s quickies proved their talent. Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz smashed the ball around the park in the latter stages of the innings and that helped Pakistan to score 143 runs, in the given quota of 20 overs. New
Zealand started their innings with Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill. Ryder was caught brilliantly in the slips by Younis Khan, off the bowling of Shoaib Akhtar. Martin Guptill on the other hand was in devastating form. He smashed Shoaib Akhtar and other bowlers
for boundaries, with complete ease. Shoaib Akhtar claimed three wickets; however he was quite expensive in his four overs. Guptill scored a quick half century before he got run out. Guptill and the captain, Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 were playing, when Guptill wanted a run
but was sent back by the captain. Meanwhile, the fielder Hafeez had thrown the ball to the wicket keeper, who disturbed the furniture and Guptill was dismissed.
After this wicket, James Franklin arrived to the crease and make-shift wicket keeper, Umar Akmal clipped the stumps and appealed for the stump. Umar Akmal was confident that he had got Franklin out and the umpire asked for a review. After few replays the
third umpire confirmed that it was not out and was given the benefit of the doubt. Franklin survived the stump threat, by just a whisker, as his foot was on the line. Franklin got out after he scored 19. Hafeez claimed the wicket as he was given LBW. Ross
Taylor played a captain’s knock and remained unbeaten on 39 runs, as New Zealand secured their victory with five wickets remaining.
Tags: