Last time when Pakistan cricket team visited New Zealand, both teams played some exceptional cricket and produced crunch games. Pakistan and New Zealand will be competing three Twenty20 internationals, two Test matches followed by six One Day Internationals.
Teams will get a good chance to prepare themselves for ICC World Cup 2011 starting in February 2011.
Pakistan started their tour for this year with a warm up Twenty20 match against domestic team Auckland. Pakistan lost the toss and was asked to bat on a bowling-conducive track. Pakistan played their expected team with all top and first choice players. On
paper, Pakistan team was much stronger than Auckland. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Auckland-c766 team had few players with some international experience at their credit.
Regular opener Mohammad Hafeez and Captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 started the innings for Pakistan. Michael Bates jolted the top order and Pakistan were reeling at 7 runs for 3 wickets. First one to go out was Hafeez who scored just four runs with the help of one
boundary. Afridi scored one and Ahmed Shehzad was removed for a duck.
Younis Khan and Umar Akmal tried to stabilise things for Pakistan but got out on 18 and 25 respectively. Younis Khan hit the only six of Pakistan innings. Fawad Alam was unlucky to be run out on the first bowl he faced. Alam is under pressure to perform
and to cement his place in the world cup team.
Abdul Razzaq, who set the momentum for Pakistan in the last series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, was caught by Lou Vincent for 16. Umar Gul known for his superb bowling managed to score 19. Rest of the tail-enders fell cheaply and Pakistan got all out for 91 in
17.4 overs.
New Zealand started their innings with their openers C de Grandhomme and international player Martin Guptill. Grandhomme played flashy innings, hitting the prime bowlers all around the park.
He was dismissed by Shoaib Akhtar after he had scored 20. Wickets kept falling on the other hand while Martin Guptill stayed calm at the crease. Lou Vincent was another batsman in the line-up with some international experience. He was cleaned up by Shoaib
Akhtar on seven and then http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anaru-Kitchen-c1032 got out to Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Captain and wicket keeper Gareth Hopkins was caught by Saeed Ajmal off the bowling of Wahab Riaz at the score of eight. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Colin-Munro-c51481 was bowled by Saeed Ajmal but then it was too late as Auckland won by five wickets with almost 7 overs to spare. Martin Guptill
remained not out on 28 and is also a part of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.
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