KAMRAN AKMAL AND MOHAMMAD HAFEEZ EASE PAKISTAN TO WARM-UP VICTORY

A good start to Pakistan’s campaign, albeit in a warmup. The bowlers restricted New Zealand to a gettable score and Kamran Akmal’s form at the top of the order was pleasing to see. Sohail Tanvir is perhaps the only major concern as he continues to leak runs in this form of the game. Pakistan will need to decide quickly whether or not he is the ideal man to take the new ball as well as to bowl at the death.

 

With Pakistan’s opening of the World T20 just a few days away, they took on New Zealand in the first of two warmup matches before the start of the tournament. New Zealand have enjoyed some success in limited overs cricket in recent months and were therefore expected to provide a stern but useful test for Pakistan.

Mohammad Talha had been impressive during the Asia Cup and it didn’t take him long to get into his groove here. In the second over of the game he dismissed Kane Williamson as the batsman hit uppishly to mid-on where Bilawal Bhatti took the catch. Brendon McCullum, perhaps New Zealand’s premier batsman, demonstrated his form by pulling his 3rd ball into the stands for six, and Martin Guptill followed it up with a maximum of his own, not long after.

Talha struck again though, this time trapping Guptill LBW to what appeared to be a bad decision from the umpire. Spin was introduced in the form of Zulfiqar Babar in the 5th over, but McCullum dispatched his first ball over long-on fir six. Saeed Ajmal and Babar combined to keep the batsmen quiet for the next few overs, before McCullum broke the shackles with another six, this time over extra cover. Ross Taylor tried to up the temp also but only succeeded in giving Bhatti his second catch of the innings.

McCullum and Munro helped steady the ship for New Zealand, but just as they looked to set a platform, Munro was caught as mid-wicket off Bhatti and then Umar Gul took the big wicket of the dangerous Corey Anderson, bowling him out with a full straight delivery. Luke Ronchi then hit Gul for two fours before the bowler got his revenge, hitting the stumps once again.

Neesham, Nathan McCullum and Tim Southee all fell cheaply but Brendon McCullum continued on his merry way, reaching his 50 with a boundary over mid-wicket and he finished unbeaten on 59 off 45 balls, carrying New Zealand to 145/9 from 20 overs.

Kamran Akmal got Pakistan off to a ferocious start in the run chase, smashing three boundaries off McClenaghan’s first over. Three more boundaries were taken from the next over bowled by Southee as Pakistan raced to 27/0 from three overs. The introduction of spin didn’t halt Akmal’s charge as Nathan McCullum was launched over long-off in his first over. Sharjeel Khan was caught at midwicket off Ronnie Hira looking to maintain the scoring rate which brought Mohammad Hafeez to the crease.

The pair found the the boundary regularly with ease, with the New Zealand spinners in particular bearing the brunt of the treatment. Hafeez also pulled out a lap sweep for 6 off Neesham and Corey Anderson wasn’t spared either, as Akmal managed a gorgeous inside-out shot over cover for six. 16 were taken off the 13th over bowled by Ronnie Hira and 15 more from the 15th over as Pakistan raced towards the target. Akmal retired on 52 off 45 balls to give the others some time in the middle, before Hafeez was caught on the boundary for 55 off 39.

Umar Akmal was bowled for 3 but Sohaib Maqsood hit three boundaries to get Pakistan over the line with one ball to spare.