Agency :One significant aspect of New Zealand’s UAE tour against Pakistan is their incredible ability to bounce back from defeats. The Kiwis have showed their fighting skills in the Twenty20s and Tests by securing 1-1 draws in both the series after going down in the initial games. After spoiling a golden chance to claim the first one-dayer in Dubai, New Zealand bounced back in style by clinching the second ODI by four wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday night.Kane Williamson played a captain’s knock by chipping in with an unbeaten half century and guided New Zealand, who chased down 253, to victory with four overs to spare. Williamson remained not out on 70 (91b, 7×4) while Daniel Vettori was unbeaten on 13.Openers Anton Devcich and Dean Brownlie gave a spectacular start to New Zealand innings by adding 103 runs for the first wicket. Brownlie, who made a 61-ball 47 (8×4), was the first to go when he missed a slider from Shahid Afridi. A well-settled Devcich (58 runs – 66b, 8×4) was runout while going for a non-existent run in the 25th over. New Zealand were in a spot of bother when they were reduced to 4-148 in the 29th over, but Willamson’s timely 58-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Luke Ronchi, who chipped in with a 32-ball 36 (6×4), guided the team to safety.Haris Sohail, who had guided Pakistan to a thrilling three-wicket victory in the first one-dayer in Dubai, put up a good allround performance by bagging three wickets after scoring 33 runs, but his efforts proved futile in Sharjah.Sharjah will also host the third ODI in the five-match series, now tied at 1-1, on Sunday.Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez’s half century, coupled with some handy contributions from skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, Sohail, Afridi and Sarfraz Ahmed, had helped Pakistan survive a top order collapse to post a competitive 252 in 48.3 overs. Misbah, who elected to bat, was in for a rude shock when the New Zealand pacers reduced Pakistan to 20 for three in the fifth over.Matt Henry, who picked up four wickets for 45 runs from 10 overs, gave Kiwis the initial breakthrough by sending back Ahmed Shehzad for a duck in the first over itself. Mitchell McClenaghan (3-56) dismissed a clueless Younis Khan in the second over while Henry struck again in the fifth over by clean bowling Asad Shafiq.However, Hafeez counterattacked superbly and the opener added a 77-run fourth wicket partnership with Sohail. The duo rescued the team but Anderson broke the partnership when Sohail (33 runs – 45b, 2×4, 1×6) pulled a short delivery straight into the hands of Taylor at midwicket in the 21st over. Hafeez continued the good work by adding a 66-run partnership for the fifth wicket with skipper Misbah, who chipped in with a 65-ball 47 (2×4, 2×6).
