New Zealand lose eight for 23 as Pakistan complete 3-0 sweep
Fifties from Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez had helped Pakistan put up 166 before the spinners derailed New Zealand's chase
Fifties from Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez had helped Pakistan put up 166 before the spinners derailed New Zealand's chase
Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: Karthik Krishnaswamy
11.25pm Sarfraz gets his hands on another trophy, but this one, sadly, doesn't have a biscuit on it. Even so, a terrific performance from Pakistan. We hope you've enjoyed our coverage of the T20I series. Be sure to join us for the first ODI day after tomorrow. Until then, goodbye!
Sarfraz Ahmed: "A brilliant team effort from us. We needed 160-plus, and our batsmen did it, and Babar Azam and Hafeez played magnificent innings. Throughout the series we've taken wickets with the new ball, and we've done well with the bat too. When our players set such records, it feels very good. The way Babar got to 1000 runs, Shadab getting the most wickets this year. Also someone like Hafeez bhai coming back and doing so well."
Kane Williamson: "At the halfway stage, on that surface, that was a very good total from Pakistan. They batted very well, did very well to keep wickets in hand. A lot of good cricket shots. We could have hit more favourable areas, but they played superbly well on a tricky surface. A lot had to go our way with the bat, and they did for a while, but things can change quickly in these conditions, and Pakistan have been clinical. They're very accurate, bowled to the areas of the ground that they want to be hit to. Very good bowling attack, and we'll try to keep learning from them in these conditions. Lots of positives over the three games. Tough pill to swallow today, but we've got to put that behind us and look ahead to the one-day series."
Mohammad Hafeez is the Player of the Series. "Really happy. I came back in the previous series, and credit to the way the team has supported me, and wished me before every performance. Whatever the situation, I try to handle it properly, and whatever's going through my mind, it's working, thankfully. The way every player is taking responsibility, in pressure situations, it's a great sign for the team moving forward. Every player is building confidence. [Looking ahead] What I'm doing at the moment, it's working, and I just need to keep doing it and not change anything."
Babar Azam is the Player of the Match. "Hafeez bhai gave me great support. I keep it simple, hit my shots when the ball is in my area. I take my chances - it's not that I don't - but my role is to play the full 20 overs, and if need be, I take chances. No great change between one-down and opening the batting. I knew I had broken Kohli's record, I pray to Allah that I can keep achieving more."
Kashif: "KW 60 rest of the kiwis plus extras... 59."
Fiaz Leghari : "31st occasion Pak has bowled out the opposition in T20Is, no doubt the best bowling attack in the world "
Usman Khalid: "Imagine someone going out to run an errand after the 12th over and rushing to get back quick and catch the last 3 overs of the game!"
Rameez: "Why isn't there a WT20 this year ?? :("
Umer Adil: "Here i am announcing MOM is shadab... MOS is babar.. "
Bilal Haider: "Professor For Man Of The Series"
11.04pm From 96 for 2 to 119 all out. Eight wickets for 23 runs. Staggering. It can happen in T20, of course, where a team just gets on a roll after breaking a partnership. There was some excellent bowling in there from Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim in particular, but also some inexperience shown by New Zealand's batsmen - I'm thinking especially of the wickets of Chapman and Seifert. Lovely innings by Williamson, made it look so easy. The collapse after his dismissal suggests his innings transcended what has been a pretty tricky pitch to bat on.
SHA Rance b Waqas Maqsood 1 (3m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00
Imran Azami: "New Zealand are clearly gonna miss the services of Mr. Chris Martin aka "The phantom" here :P" -- They haven't even brought Trent Boult here. It's unfair for connoisseurs of No. 11 technique.
Talha: "From 95-2 to 110-8.. Thats Pakistan for you!" --- Aaaaand it's now 113 for 9.
LH Ferguson c †Sarfaraz Ahmed b Waqas Maqsood 1 (8m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33
Waqas, left-arm over.
Fiaz Leghari : "With that wicket of Taylor, Shadab has become the highest wicket taker in this calendar year" -- Yup, he's gone past AJ Tye and now has 28 wickets.
Fifties from Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez had helped Pakistan put up 166 before the spinners derailed New Zealand's chase
Pakistan will hope to extend their T20I winning run to nine in a row having already sealed an 11th consecutive series victory