Robinson’s fifty and O’Rourke’s three-for give New Zealand unassailable 2-1 lead
New Zealand 178 for 7 (Robinson 51, Foxcroft 34, Abbas 3-20) beat Pakistan 174 for 8 (Fakhar 61, O’Rourke 3-27, Sears 2-27) by 4 runs
Four days after failing to defend 178 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan didn’t chase down the identical goal in Lahore on Thursday. A disciplined efficiency from New Zealand’s bowling assault, notably the tempo duo of Will O’Rourke and Ben Sears, noticed them edge Pakistan by 4 runs and take a 2-1 lead within the sequence.
In pursuit of a goal of 179, Pakistan misplaced early wickets, slumping to 46 for 3 earlier than the powerplay was over. Only a spirited efficiency by New Zealand’s outdated foe Fakhar Zaman saved the sport alive for Pakistan. Fakhar marked his return to the facet with a 45-ball 61, lashing three sixes alongside the way in which, however when an off-colour Iftikhar Ahmed and he fell in consecutive overs, Pakistan’s destiny was sealed.
Pakistan saved the sport alive until the final ball, although, due to Imad Wasim. A cagey remaining over from Jimmy Neesham, through which he needed to defend 17, ended with Pakistan needing six of the ultimate ball, and a scythed blow behind level was not sufficient to tug off the heist.
Earlier, Pakistan had had put New Zealand in, making 5 modifications to the facet as Mohammad Amir, Imad and Zaman Khan all returned. But it was New Zealand who landed the telling early blows as Tim Robinson and Tom Blundell put the bowlers to the sword within the powerplay, racing to 56 within the first 5 overs.
The dismissal of Blundell noticed Pakistan rein New Zealand in considerably, however Robinson’s explosive knock – he smashed 51 off 36 earlier than Abbas Afridi eliminated him – put New Zealand in a commanding place on the midway mark.
New Zealand did lose their approach on the dying as Imad and Amir did effectively, however the effectivity of their bowlers confirmed that they’d put up nearly sufficient to maintain Pakistan at bay.
Abbas Afridi makes his case
Pakistan rung within the modifications within the fast-bowling division, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah each lacking out. In got here Amir, but it surely was Abbas who stood out, bowling a number of the hardest overs and coming away with each credit score and wickets. After a primary over the place New Zealand focused him within the powerplay, he returned and offered a direct much-needed breakthrough because the explosive Robinson miscued him into the evening sky.
For some motive not referred to as upon for his full quota, Abbas’ remaining over – the penultimate one of many innings – was the choose of the bunch. A mixture of cutters, onerous lengths and excellent yorkers noticed Abbas take two and concede simply 5 as New Zealand continued to be dragged again. Abbas’ figures of three for 20 presumably left Babar Azam questioning why he hadn’t used him for the complete 4.
Shadab Khan takes a stunner
It’s maybe on-brand for Shadab Khan’s fame as an allrounder that regardless of not bowling a single supply for the primary time in a accomplished T20I innings, he was accountable for probably the most spectacular Pakistan contribution within the subject. It happened within the 14th over of the New Zealand innings, when Mark Chapman – Pakistan’s bete noire on excursions like these – slapped one over the pinnacle of extensive mid-off. Or so he thought. Shadab moved to his left and flung himself into the air with feline-like lethality. The velocity of the ball knocked his proper hand off as he held on to it together with his left. It took a disbelieving crowd a number of moments to register what had occurred, but it surely hampered New Zealand’s death-overs push.
Sears and O’Rourke maintain their very own
There’s a Super Smash really feel to the New Zealand squad in Pakistan, and that was notably true of the seam-bowling duo of Sears and O’Rourke. Sears had performed ten T20Is earlier than this tour whereas O’Rourke was but to make his debut, however the pair was instrumental in halting Pakistan’s early cost from the get-go.
While Pakistan focused Jacob Duffy, O’Rourke struck in his first over, drawing Babar into a canopy drive, and the additional bounce noticed him paddle it to cover-point on the complete.
He additionally dismissed the opposite opener, Saim Ayub, who was put down within the first over.
Sears saved New Zealand plugging away as he prised out Usman Khan to go away Pakistan in hassle. The pair’s capability to maintain the runs quiet on the identical time allowed Michael Bracewell to show to them at any time when stress wanted to be utilized, a motif that continued proper by way of the innings. The pair was introduced later, and gave their captain the wickets of Iftikhar and Fakhar to kill the sport off, combining for figures of 8-0-54-5.
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000