9:40pm Right. That will be that from us for tonight. Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we loved bringing it to you. Be back with us tomorrow as these two teams fight it out, with the series on the line. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Chandan and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Goodbye, goodnight and take care!

Aayan Afzal Khan is the Player of the Match for his three-wicket haul: (On what he ate today) I did not eat much because I was sleeping peacefully. This (picking wickets) is what I wanted to do and happy that we could win. I am playing well and I just hope I can keep playing well and take UAE to new heights. We have big players, like Waseem and Asif - they scored today and we won comfortably.

Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain: (On his approach) I am very happy with the performance of my team and myself. We are always trying to win well when we win. (On Asif Khan) He is a quality player. Unlucky that he made his debut late. He has experience and he promised me that he will finish the game, and he did it. (On Aayan Afzal Khan) I see a big star in him. Hopefully he can be a future star for the UAE. He does not feel pressure, irrespective of who he is facing.

Tim Southee, New Zealand captain: (What went wrong) That is the beauty of sport, lot of credit has to go to the UAE team, they outplayed us in all three facets. We were made to pay for our mistakes (today). Dropped catches are part of the game. When Waseem is playing in that mood, he has, for years, shown he is a quality player. (Recovery plan) We have to be better in all three areas. We will turn up tomorrow, in the series decider, and have another go.

Shaik: "Really Appreciate UAE batters showing lot of maturity by rotating strike and not giving any chances to Kiwis to Bounce back : ")..."

Gaurav Jain: "Just opened Cricinfo and saw UAE defeating NZ. Is this full strength NZ?" -- There are a few first-choice players missing. The likes of Chapman, Jamieson, Santner, Seifert and Southee did play today, though. All credit, thus, goes to UAE for how brave and courageous they were, and how they held their nerve, especially after a botched run-chase just days ago.

9:21pm A clinical run-chase, iced by Asif, who was excellent. He absorbed pressure and when the time came, he found the fence, knocking the stuffing out of the Kiwis. Earlier, Waseem set up the run-chase beautifully, blazing away to a 29-ball 55. Hameed and Aravind also did their bit, and this win will give the hosts plenty of confidence moving into tomorrow.

As for the Black Caps, well, they would not be pleased with the way they bowled and fielded. The pitch was not holding as much as it did in the first innings but their bowlers failed to adapt their plans. Whenever they created chances, they put them down and they allowed UAE a sniff. With the series decider slated for tomorrow, the visitors have little time to go back to the drawing board, rectify tonight's flaws and come back stronger.

15.4
4
Southee to Asif Khan, FOUR, that will be that! History for the hosts, and what an emphatic way to seal the deal! Another short delivery and Asif gets his front foot out of the way and clubs it over mid wicket! That is the first time UAE have won at this venue in T20I cricket, and what a team to get that victory against!
15.3
4
Southee to Asif Khan, FOUR, just three needed now! Another short delivery and Asif has read this like the morning daily. Backs away and smears it past deep square leg

Aditya: "I didn't follow, how is NZ losing against UAE?" -- NZ have not been great in the field, having dropped three (two very presentable) chances. UAE, meanwhile, have been superb in this run-chase

15.2
2
Southee to Asif Khan, 2 runs, dug into the track on leg stump. Asif backs away and hoicks it past mid wicket for a couple of runs
15.1
6
Southee to Asif Khan, SIX, and Southee gets met, absolutely met! Half-tracker outside off and Asif is waiting for it. Picks the length early enough, stands tall and clobbers it (almost tennis-style) over long on!

Just 15 needed now off 30. This is definitely UAE's game to lose now. Southee back for his final over. Could be the last throw of the dice

END OF OVER:
15 | 13 Runs | UAE: 128/3 (15 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 8.53, RRR: 3.00)

  • Asif Khan32 (25b)
  • Basil Hameed12 (12b)
  • James Neesham3-0-24-0
  • Kyle Jamieson3-0-30-1
14.6
1
Neesham to Asif Khan, 1 run, short and this one cramps Asif for room. He continues swinging, though, and splices his pull to deep mid wicket for a single

Tom de Sailor: "One good over from the Kiwis and UAE will be under pressure if they don't try to kill.the game early. Even 5runs in the last over can turn out to be tricky. " -- I'd think NZ need more than one good over to come back into this game now...

14.5
4
Neesham to Asif Khan, FOUR, four more! Shortish outside off, and that width allows Asif to throw the plumbing at it and slash it past the keeper

The ball is coming onto the bat a lot better than it did in the first innings. Most of the balls that NZ are digging into the track are not causing the batters much trouble

14.4
1
Neesham to Basil Hameed, 1 run, back of a length outside off. Hameed has all the time in the world to dab it down to third man
14.3
1
Neesham to Asif Khan, 1 run, dug into the track on off stump. Asif has a wild swipe at it and shanks it towards deep mid wicket
14.2
4
Neesham to Asif Khan, FOUR, power! Slower delivery that lands right in the slot outside off. Asif winds up and bludgeons it past mid off for four!
14.1
1
Neesham to Basil Hameed, 1 run, length outside off. Hameed plants his front foot and drives it on the rise to deep point
14.1
1w
Neesham to Basil Hameed, 1 wide, attempted bouncer but this slides down the leg side. Called a wide after Hameed misses his pull

Neesham is back

The required run-rate is well under control and if UAE are smart about this, they should get the job done. Needless to say that only wickets will tilt this game the Kiwis' way now

END OF OVER:
14 | 7 Runs | UAE: 115/3 (28 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 8.21, RRR: 4.66)

  • Asif Khan22 (21b)
  • Basil Hameed10 (10b)
  • Kyle Jamieson3-0-30-1
  • Tim Southee3-1-16-1
13.6
2
Jamieson to Asif Khan, 2 runs, angled down the leg side. Asif gets inside the line early and glances it fine. Santner tears across to his right from fine leg and cuts it off, saving two in the process
13.5
1
Jamieson to Basil Hameed, 1 run, short outside off. Hameed rides the bounce nicely and glides it down to third man
13.4
1
Jamieson to Asif Khan, 1 run, dug in outside off. Asif is a touch cramped for room as he swipes it away towards deep mid wicket. Had mid wicket been in the circle, he would have been in with a chance
13.3
1
Jamieson to Basil Hameed, 1 run, shortish on off stump. Hameed hops up onto his toes and short-arm jabs it towards deep square leg
13.2
2
Jamieson to Basil Hameed, 2 runs, another chance goes down! Back of a length delivery that slides down leg side. Hameed tries to tickle it fine and ends up gloving it. Cleaver dives to his left but cannot hold on to a tough one-handed chance
13.1
0
Jamieson to Basil Hameed, no run, back of a length on off stump. Hameed gets behind the line of the ball and presents the full face of the bat

END OF OVER:
13 | 6 Runs | UAE: 108/3 (35 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 8.30, RRR: 5.00)

  • Basil Hameed6 (6b)
  • Asif Khan19 (19b)
  • Tim Southee3-1-16-1
  • James Neesham2-0-11-0
12.6
1
Southee to Basil Hameed, 1 run, short on leg stump. Hameed gets inside the line and pulls it away towards fine leg
12.5
1
Southee to Asif Khan, 1 run, back of a length delivery on leg stump that gets big on Asif. His bottom hand comes off the bat as he fends it down to third man
12.4
1
Southee to Basil Hameed, 1 run, another bumper on off stump. Hameed cannot quite keep it down completely but controls his pull well enough. Gets a single to deep square leg
12.3
1
Southee to Asif Khan, 1 run, safe! Dug into the track outside off. Asif has a swipe at it but miscues it terribly. Luckily for him, it lands well in front of Neesham at deep square leg
12.2
1
Southee to Basil Hameed, 1 run, length delivery outside off stump. Hameed gets onto the front foot and steers it past backward point for a single

New Zealand in United Arab Emirates 2023 News

U.A.E. 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0Muhammad WaseemA Sharma
2nd40V AravindMuhammad Waseem
3rd56Asif KhanMuhammad Waseem
4th48Asif KhanBasil Hameed