Pakistan set New Zealand a challenging total in third Twenty20
Pakistan have set a challenging target of 184 runs for New Zealand to win the third and final Twenty20 match being played at the AMI stadium in Christchurch.
For a change, the top order fired for the tourists who were extremely ordinary with the bat in the first two matches that they lost comprehensively to hand over the series to the hosts.
Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez were asked to open the innings as skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 decided that his stint at the top of the innings was not bearing the required results. Shehzad was in scintillating form as he powered his way to his maiden international
half-century.
The Lahore-born youngster was a revelation for the Black Caps as he kept peppering the mid-wicket boundary with some rasping pull shots that bemused the opening http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mills-c76321 and 18-year-old pacer Adam Milne.
Shehzad smashed 10 fours on his way to his 50 while on the other hand, Hafeez played some delightful drives and flicks which yielded him 5 fours and a six in his 34-run knock.
He was dismissed by James Franklin with Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 taking a fine catch in the covers. The left-armer Franklin then accounted for Shehzad whom he trapped lbw for 54.
In a startling move, the Pakistani captain almost nullified the start given by the openers by holding back power hitters like himself, Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq.
Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan wasted some crucial overs without getting any boundaries. Their frustration resulted in the dismissal of the duo for 8 and 5 runs respectively.
Afridi once again failed to make an impression. He lasted only 9 balls before being bowled by Tim Southee for 14 runs.
Umar Akmal and Abdul http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421 added some quick runs at the end of the innings but they failed to make the most of the bright start as the men in green ended the innings for a total that was much less than what was initially expected.
Razzaq smashed 3 sixes in his unbeaten 34 off 11 balls.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 have made two changes to the team that played the last match at Hamilton. Pacers Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar were left out while left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman and debutant Tanvir Ahmed replaced the duo.
New Zealand would be confident of chasing down the total where the Aussies once tied a match scoring 214 runs in the second innings.
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