Player of the Match
Player of the Match

So, in the end, it proved to be a walk in the park for Pakistan and they weren't really tested in this game. Michael Bracewell said, New Zealand pride themselves on fighting until the last ball. After spending some time out there and assessing the conditions, we can expect them to compete better tomorrow. Pakistan will continue to try different combinations and experiments to prepare for the T20 World Cup in June. That's it from us for tonight. We'll be back tomorrow for the third T20I at Rawalpindi. It's time for me, Rvel Zahid, to say goodbye on behalf of Thilak Rama

Babar Azam, Pakistan Captain: In Pindi, it's crucial to set the tone in first six overs. The way Naseem, Shaheen and Amir bowled was outstanding. We will experiment and try different combinations in batting and bowling; will try players at different spots and we'll finalize the team come the time of Ireland and England series. On paper everybody looks a match winner in Pakistan team. Youngsters always bring energy but you need experience as well. We try to play according to the conditions and execute our plans accordingly. We have 10 matches, will try to tick all departments of the game. We make some mistakes in every game but we try to sit and discuss that. We want to do well in all departments and work on it on a daily basis.

Michael Bracewell, New Zealand Captain: We didn't score quite enough runs. We were little bit slow to adapt to the surface and put ourselves under pressure in the end. You want guys to learn from situation. We got a game tomorrow and we need to learn quickly. We pride ourselves in fighting right till the end; we did that with the ball and in the field

Shaheen Afridi, Player of the Match: I was bowling after 36 days. It's not easy to get back into rhythm straightaway but I had belief in myself and stuck to my guns. It stops swinging after one over in T20 cricket so I bowled according to the wicket and what conditions demanded from me. (On healthy competition in the side) Pakistan cricket is getting better (after the additions of players) and it's a good omen for us before the World Cup.

Pakistan did this at a canter. 91 was never going to be enough on this batting-friendly wicket. Mohammad Rizwan anchored the innings and some new faces got valuable time in the middle and got their first taste of international cricket. Irfan Khan Niazi looked unfazed at the international level and continued his PSL form. The game was set up by Pakistan's bowlers, who were too good for the severely depleted New Zealand side. They couldn't exert any pressure and lost wickets at regular intervals mustering a subpar total. Mohammad Amir assessed the conditions quickly and used his slow balls perfectly, while Shaheen Afridi got the angle from round the wicket working well for him and speared in some superb yorkers. Abrar Ahmed found his radar right away and got decent grip off the surface while Shadab had a fun outing too

12.1
4
McConchie to Mohammad Rizwan, FOUR, Gets down low and clobbers it high and handsome over square leg for a gorgeous boundary, one bounce over the rope and Pakistan win by seven wickets.

END OF OVER:
12 | 3 Runs | PAK: 88/3 (3 runs required from 48 balls, RR: 7.33, RRR: 0.37)

  • Irfan Khan18 (18b)
  • Mohammad Rizwan41 (33b)
  • Ish Sodhi3-0-18-1
  • Ben Sears3-0-30-0
11.6
0
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, no run, Length and spinning back from wide of off, steered to short third comfortably

Masroor: "On the other side of subcontinent, leather is getting smashed to every part of the ground. IPL"

11.5
0
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, no run, Takes a step down the pitch and smothers the spin with a flick towards silly mid-on

Rauhan: "@Goat'ed Just for once check Head's T20I stats, only one big innings. Babar and Rizwan on their own won so many games for Pakistan and how can one criticize 13 ball 14 when only 90 runs were needed to win. Unbelievable. "

11.4
0
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, no run, Good length, hint of turn wide of off, breaks his wrists for a cut and is unable to connect on this occasion

Sajeel Liaqat: "After everything , people still bash Babar Azam. His recent PSL strike rate with the runs he has scored puts him in a league of his own. Best Pakistan produced ever."

11.3
1
Sodhi to Mohammad Rizwan, 1 run, Lobbed up a googly, stepped back and chipped it in the air just evades Sodhi and trickles away towards long-on
11.2
2
Sodhi to Mohammad Rizwan, 2 runs, Bit short on off, makes room and slaps it away to deep cover
11.1
0
Sodhi to Mohammad Rizwan, no run, Drifts in from a length at middle, nudged to short midwicket, just a hit away from a resounding win

END OF OVER:
11 | 6 Runs | PAK: 85/3 (6 runs required from 54 balls, RR: 7.72, RRR: 0.66)

  • Irfan Khan18 (15b)
  • Mohammad Rizwan38 (30b)
  • Ben Sears3-0-30-0
  • Ish Sodhi2-0-15-1
10.6
0
Sears to Irfan Khan, no run, Short of a length swerving away outside off, presses it down towards mid-off
10.5
0
Sears to Irfan Khan, no run, Hammered in and slanting in at middle, blocked back to the bowler and Rizwan was out of his crease at the non-striker's end, had to retrieve quickly, survives in the end
10.4
0
Sears to Irfan Khan, no run, Superb yorker veering in at off, keeps it out at cover
10.3
1
Sears to Mohammad Rizwan, 1 run, Short of a length, kept low in the channel, sliced to point and sets off for a quick single
10.2
1
Sears to Irfan Khan, 1 run, Drags his length back and keeps it on middle, tugged away to deep backward square leg, got inside the line
10.1
4
Sears to Irfan Khan, FOUR, Exquisitely done! Short of a length, nibbling away outside off, adjusted beautifully and guided to deep third for a four, played it very late

END OF OVER:
10 | 11 Runs | PAK: 79/3 (12 runs required from 60 balls, RR: 7.90, RRR: 1.20)

  • Irfan Khan13 (10b)
  • Mohammad Rizwan37 (29b)
  • Ish Sodhi2-0-15-1
  • Ben Sears2-0-24-0

lkr : "Three from Multan Sultan, Two from each Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators and one each of Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandar. Balanced Pakistan team"

9.6
1
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, 1 run, Too full and almost hugging the tramline on off, powers this through extra cover, there is protection in the deep, only 12 required and it's time for a strategic timeout

Goat'ed: "Why does babar always play slow? i don't understand why? there are other players in the world like travis head, butler, quinton de kock who play very fast and get their teams to score 200 runs each game. Babar's slow tactic always causes his team to be below par. Babar isn't a t20 player. either he should be in team or rizwan. both of them together make the team batting useless. Fakhar should be playing to provide the brute force they need."

9.5
1
Sodhi to Mohammad Rizwan, 1 run, Flighted delivery, decent bounce and follows him as he backs away, manages to whisks it away in front of point
9.4
1
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, 1 run, Tossed up on middle, wrong'un, comes down the track again and goes hard at it, clipped square of midwicket
9.3
6
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, SIX, Prances down the track and tries to lump him for a six down the ground, fielder might have been touching the rope at long-on. It's a sensational effort nevertheless. Irfan hits his first six in international cricket, gave it full swing and got the desired result, that was imperious!
9.2
1
Sodhi to Mohammad Rizwan, 1 run, Slightly short on middle, hasn't quite found the middle but enough to pick up a run as fine leg scuttles around it
9.1
1
Sodhi to Irfan Khan, 1 run, Drops short on middle, got his front leg out of the way and bashes it towards the real estate at deep midwicket, strong square of the wicket

END OF OVER:
9 | 8 Runs | PAK: 68/3 (23 runs required from 11 overs, RR: 7.55, RRR: 2.09)

  • Irfan Khan4 (6b)
  • Mohammad Rizwan35 (27b)
  • Ben Sears2-0-24-0
  • Ish Sodhi1-0-4-1
8.6
1
Sears to Irfan Khan, 1 run, Searching for the yorker but the line is not quite right, uses his lumberjack strong wrists to guide it uppishly to deep square
8.5
3
Sears to Mohammad Rizwan, 3 runs, Darts in a full-length delivery and gives room to free his arms, creamed past cover for a couple of runs, beautiful timing
8.4
1
Sears to Irfan Khan, 1 run, Banged in short on middle, he jumps and plays a under-controlled pull to deep square, crisp sound of the bat, middling it
8.3
0
Sears to Irfan Khan, no run, Goes fuller and bowls a testing delivery that roars through the gate with some late swing, shoulders arms

Pakistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st4Babar AzamSaim Ayub
2nd37Mohammad RizwanBabar Azam
3rd15Mohammad RizwanUsman Khan
4th36Mohammad RizwanIrfan Khan