Sports Desk :
Pakistan recorded a thrilling five-wicket victory over New Zealand in their Group-2 match of the ICC T20 World Cup at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
Chasing New Zealand’s fighting total of 134 for the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 20 overs, Pakistan romped home making 135 for the loss of five wickets when they had just eight balls to spare.
Shoaib Malik and Azhar Ali played the key role for Pakistan’s victory.
Shoaib Malik remained unbeaten with 26, while Azhar Ali remained unbeaten with 27. Shoaib hit two fours and a sixer in his 20-ball innings.
Azhar Ali hit three sixes and one four in his 12-ball innings.
Earlier, Haris Rauf played a vital role for Pakistan bowling grabbing four wickets at the cost of 22 runs.
Earlier, Pakistan produced another disciplined bowling display to limit New Zealand to 134-8 in their Twenty20 World Cup clash in Sharjah on Tuesday.
Boosted after their brilliant performance in the 10-wicket win over arch-rivals India on Sunday, Pakistan were this time led by fast bowler Haris Rauf who finished with 4-22. Pakistan kept the same team that won against India.
New Zealand-playing their first game in the Super 12s-were jolted before the start of the match when fast bowler Lockie Ferguson was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury.
Meanwhile, Pacer Haris Rauf led a clinical bowling show with four wickets for 22 runs as Pakistan restricted New Zealand to a small total of 134 for eight in their ICC T20 World Cup Super 12 match here on Tuesday.
The Kiwis were in all sorts of trouble after they were invited to bat in the face a disciplined Pakistani bowling attack with opener Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway top-scoring with 27 each and captain Kane Williamson contributing 25.
New Zealand could not have one substantial partnership with their highest being the 36-run opening stand between Mitchell and Martin Guptill (17).
Shaheen Afridi, Imad wasim and Mohammad Hafeez also took one wicket each for Pakistan. Afridi, who rattled the Indian top-order in Pakistan’s 10-wicket win on Sunday, got the swing in the opening over which was a maiden one. But Mitchell hit a four off his second over which yielded eight runs.
Mitchell then hoisted Hasan Ali for a six as New Zealand looked to take the initiative. But they were unable to come out of the power play unscathed as Rauf uprooted Guptill’s timbers after the ball took a deflection off the batter’s pads.
Mitchell paid the price of going for one too many as he holed out to Fakhar Zaman near the ropes after he smashed a six off Imad in the ninth over.
New batter James Neesham did not last long as he was out for 1 in the next over off Hafeez as New Zealand reached 60 for three at halfway mark.
The Kiwis stepped on the gas and took 25 runs from the 12th and 13th overs together with Williamson smashing Hafeez for a six and a four, even as Conway clobbered Shadab Khan for three successive boundaries.
But the Kiwi innings took a turn after Williamson was run out in the 14th over as Hasan Ali’s brilliant direct throw off his own bowling dislodged the bails.
New Zealand could only reach the 100-run mark at the end of the 15th over and as runs were hard to come by, they got a four after four overs, only to see Conway and Glenn Phillips (13) getting out in the space of three balls in the 18th over bowled by Rauf.
