New Zealand defeats Pakistan, wins series 3-2
Home side was all out for 207 in 43.3 overs while pursuing New Zealand’s target of 276 runs
ABU DHABI: (Web Desk) – Pakistan was all out for 207 runs in 43.3 overs while chasing the 276-run target set by New Zealand in the first innings. None of the Pakistani batsmen other than Ahmed Shehzad and Haris Sohail really took a start.
Anwar Ali scored 18 off 11 balls, Shahid Afridi made 13 out of the 9 balls that he faced. Zulfiqar Babar was bowled out by Milne to wrap up the series.
Matt Henry took 5 wickets, Nathan McCullum took 2 wickets while Adam Milne, Mitchell McClenaghan and Anton Devcich secured one wicket each.
Earlier: Pakistan on verge of losing series to New Zealand in UAE. Haris Sohail seemed to have been Pakistan s last hope but failed to continue, Sarfraz followed.
Pakistan has lost 7 wickets for 180 already while the target is still 102 runs ahead. While the skipper Shahid Afridi is still at the crease, he has only Anwar Ali to have hopes in. Afridi himself has to stop himself from falling prey to bowlers’ tempting deliveries.
Earlier, Ahmed Shehzad lost his wicket unnecessarily after scoring 54 runs off 81 balls. Haris Sohail played really well for his 65 off 74 but with ever-rising required run rate, he failed to keep his cool and gave his wicket away while trying to cut a Yorker. His off-stump was knocked over by McClenaghan. He had hit 5 boundaries and a six in his innings.
Umar Akmal had already lost his wicket while trying to clear the mid-wicket fielder inside the circle. He was unable to do so however and got caught by Martin Guptill who was waiting for the silly mistake.
Sarfraz seemed to have understood the pitch but after scoring 26 runs off 24 balls with the help of 2 boundaries, he too nicked a ball to the wicket-keeper.
Shahid Afridi (1) and anwar Ali (5) are still at the crease.
Earlier: Pakistan troubled as long chase starts in final ODI. Nasir Jamshed gone for duck, Younis Khan (12), Asad Shafiq (7) were of no help to home side’s cause.
Pakistan has lost three early wickets while chasing the 276-run target in the fifth and final ODI of the series. Ahmed Shehzad has been the only hurdle in New Zealand’s way so far with 26 runs off 49 balls.
Nasir Jamshed was the first to go and that was the fifth ball of the innings. He went without troubling the scorer at all. Younis Khan was the next to go. He scored 12 runs off 25 balls. Trying to steer a chest-height delivery towards fine leg, Younis Khan only managed to glove it to the keeper, who made no mistake taking the simple catch.
Asad Shafiq failed yet again. He could only manage 7 runs off the 13 balls that he faced before getting LBW off Devcich’s bowling.
Earlier: New Zealand sets 276-run target for Pakistan in final ODI. Ross Taylor (88)*, Kane Williamson (97) batted brilliantly to take Kiwis to this compatible total.
New Zealand has scored 275 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their allotted 50 overs and have set a compatible target for chase-weary Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) between the two teams on Friday.
Kane Williamson batted exceptionally well for his 97 off 119 balls with the help of 8 boundaries. He was the one who had set the tone for this total and Ross Taylor, along with Luke Ronchi and Tom Latham, took the total to a respectable total.
Taylor scored unbeaten 88 off 95 balls with the help of 5 boundaries and a six. Ronchi scored 16 off 12 and Latham remained not out scoring 22 off just 14 balls. Opener Martin Guptill was the only one to have given up early. He scored 8 runs only off 9 balls and was taken out by Mohammad Irfan.
Mohammad Irfan took 2 wickets while Zulfiqar Babar and Shahid Afridi secured 1 each.
