Pakistan vs New Zealand, 3rd ODI at Dubai, PAK v NZ, Nov 11 2018 - Ball by Ball Commentary

10.20pm Lockie Ferguson, Man of the Match: I was happy with the way I performed with the ball. Unfortunate, we could not get a result. The wickets are good in the middle at Pakistan. Pace is my strength and I'm not a huge swinger. On these wickets, with variable bounce hitting a hard length is tougher. Cross-seamers sometimes kiss through and it's all about confidence. Exciting to take a five-for in ODIs. I am just working game-by-game and it's nice to have a successful fast-bowling group.

Shaheen Afridi, Man of the Series

Tom Latham, stand-in NZ captain: Another exiciting series like four years ago. It was challenge coming to the UAE and we adpated. Outstanding performance from Ferguson and hopefully we can all keep progressing. The challenge is adapting to the surfaces and hopefully we can hit the ground running as soon as possible.

That's all we have for you from this limited-overs series. Do join us for the three-Test series as well. Goodbye and cheers for now

10.02pm That is that. Rain has the final say in Dubai. The game has been called off. NZ and Pakistan share the series.

10pm Ooops. I'm afraid I bring you bad news. Raining again in Dubai.

Ghulam Mustafa: "Sad end. Unfortunate for Pak. Runs on the board with best bowling attack. This was the best chance to win the series against NZ after 7 years.

Mazher Arshad at the ground: "I think it will be called off. Waiting for the news."

I will slip out and leave you in the hands of Deiva for now. I hope his next update is a positive one...

Usman Khan Lodh: "Rain stopped but can interrupt again, we have still covers on and outfield is also not up to the requirements.. Tough to get a game again but groundsmen are doing their best to make things good for starting action again."

Aashir: "It will be extremely sad if this game is called off considering how well this series is poised." -- And not to forget how well-contested the first 56.5 overs were...

9.51pm Update from Dubai, and Mazher has some bad news. "its raining off an on. drizzling again." -- This doesn't look great, if the ground has to be ready in the next half an hour.

9.44pm This update from a reliable source, on-ground statistician Mazher Arshad - "Update at 10:40pm PST: Rain has stopped in Dubai but covers are still on. If the ground is not ready by around 11.20pm PST, the match will be called off." -- So that gives us a little over half an hour then.

Momin: "Please post my comment I always check this website and have been here since the old Crickinfo and in class I rely on this to give me the latest update and scors and Come on Pakistan -- Only publishing this on the condition that you pay more attention your studies during classes, Momin :)

Soham Basak: "@Debayan : Since you think the 'first time' is a ruse, would you like to know that I'm trying to get my 84th comment published? On the cricket front, though, this is a golden opportunity for both these batsmen to show character and play an innings of substance." -- You know what they (don't) say (often enough) - 84th time's a charm!

Muhammad Awais : "NZ will need 209 to win if the match is reduced to 30 overs. In short 174 to win in 139 balls. And with wet ball it will be an ideal condition to bat on with 9 wickets in hands." -- Should be fun, provided we do get that much cricket!

Inamullah Khan: "Sarfraz sure missed a step here. He should have started both ends with spin once Munro had gone. Quick overs, therefore keeping up the pressure on the batsmen, while also trying to speed up to the minimum overs limit to ensure a result."

While we wait for updates from Dubai, take a listen to the podcast on what makes Pakistan such a good T20i team, with Osman Samiuddin and Hassan Cheema, right here.

Danish Qureshi: "Hey guys! Post my comments please its my very first time to post here though I am using this web since when its was only cric.info/cricinfo.com.(hehehe dont remember exactly)" -- You know this "first time" ruse is such a frequent occurence, that I am starting to think it is a carefully-calibrated strategy for some of you :D

9.29pm Thank you Deiva, and there are no updates to provide you just yet

9.20pm Good news from BLACKCAPS on Twitter: It has now officially stopped raining... Hopefully, it stays away as the umpires take a look. We've lost at least 12 overs already by rough calculations!

Debayan returns for the rain watch.

Huzaifa: "Thank God rain has stopped. The witch doctor has done his job. Thank you very much. :D"

hassan: "pakistan should bring in spinners and try to get to 20 overs asap to at least the a result out of it"

Debayan Sen: Bilal's anecdote reminds me of the rains in Sharjah in November 2013. The water-logging was so heavy that our cab-driver refused to go beyond a point upon entering Sharjah, and my co-commentator David Townsend and I then had to roll up our trousers and waddle through the last km or so

9.15pm Still rainin' in Dubai. I'm afraid nothing new to report.

Bilal: "I am 10mins from the stadium and streets here are literally flooded. Just outside my apartment complex only SUVs can pass through the water logged area. Wondering if Dubai Cricket Stadium's drainage system would be good enough to clear everything out under an hours time. "

8.55pm Update from a member of the broadcast crew: "Still raining.. am told it's comin from Saudi .. it's been raining in AbuDhabi for over 2hrs.. I guess this match is as good as gone"

8.50pm BLACKCAPS tweet: HUGE CHEER at the Dubai International Sports Stadium as it momentarily stops raining..

Huzaifa: "Accuweather says its partly cloudy in Dubai with 0 mm rain.. call a witch doctor.. someone has cursed this match."

Debayan: 2838 days since Pakistan last beat New Zealand in a bilateral ODI series. They won the away series 3-2 in February 2011, with this win.

8.40pm Cheers, Debayen. About 7 mins to completing one hour since the interruption.

Fohad Husain: "This is trouble for Pakistan..wet ball will negate the spinners as the ball will skid..NZ will now fancy their chances"

Sami: "In dubai rains showers for 30-40 minutes of a maximum spell, i also lives in dubai, but weather is clear over here. May the rain stop soon & the greens fight for their long waited series victory. #finger crossed"

Raja Rameez: "I live in Dubai too but this part of Dubai where I live not a single drop of rain came down as I'm not very far from stadium" --- Quite like Bangalore then

DoDaaChampoi: "Gotta love the gulf, it's either blistering heat or extreme heavy rain in the region"

BLACKCAPS have tweeted: The rain has eased but covers firmly on & we are losing overs (5 & counting). Worker and Nicholls pre-rain had put on 32 from 37 after the early loss of Munro #PAKvNZ

Handing over back to Deiva, who might have some answers to your questions. Remember, folks, we are in this together!

"In this day, age & era where communication is live & instant with seamless connectivity across the globe and outer space too, when one says we have no word or update from Dubai; it sounds very strange and far fetched, Just call up someone in Dubai stadium and ask for an update; how complicated or difficult is that??? It Behoves Cricnfo.." -- Hey Rakesh, it is still raining, and the covers are still on.

RAMIZ KHAN: "AFTER A VERY LONG TIME PAKISTAN VERY NEAR TO VICTORY RAIN NEVER COME HERE IN DUBAI BEFORE MANY OF TIMES WHY ITS COME TODAY"

Some more fun non-cricket reading for you folks, courtesy of our sister site ESPN.in. You would probably have heard of champion swimmer Stephanie Rice, but do you know which sport she is beginning to learn and fall in love with?

Hiba: "Just a few moments before the rain Ramiz Raja said it RAAARREEELLLYYY EVERR rains in this part of the world...and here it is " -- He is right, though, isn't he? I have seen that the Sharjah stadium drains a little slowly. What about Dubai - how are the drainage facilities there? I am guessing it might not be great, because the outfield seems quite sandy, which can't be helpful when it rains somewhat heavily?

Usman: "@debayansen as you commented about women's t20 world cup match and Bismah Maroof is gone. " -- ESPNcricinfo is guilty of that jinx, but to be fair, it was still Deiva when we directed you to that game. Besides, a match is never over with just one innings completed, is it?

8:24pm Hello, everybody. This is Debayan back at the helm. For those asking, there's no update from the ground just yet. To answer Talha and Waseem Abbas, D/L method (and indeed any possibility of a result) only kicks in if we are able to get 20 overs of play into this chase. I wonder if Daud Ahmad's wish before the first ball of a drawn series will be answered today!

While we wait, those who like their football might be keen to check on what happens in the big Manchester derby in the Premier League.

8.20pm At the Women's World T20 in Guyana, Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar are staging a recovery for Pakistan. India's horrid fielding has also helped them.

8.05pm Still raining in Dubai. I can recall providing ball-by-ball rain-drop-by-raindrop commentary for this rained-out PSL match earlier this year in Sharjah

Debayan: Only 3 wins for New Zealand chasing 250+ in Asia. Last one was this match, where Tom Latham was player of the match for his unbeaten hundred coming in at no.5

UAE isn't England, but why not have a gander at this TCM photo feature during the break: Wet, wet, wet

Not too long ago, Pakistan's approach to limited-overs cricket seemed stuck in the '90s. Now, they are the world no.1 T20 side, without a chaser in sight. Osman Samiuddin and Hassan Cheema look back at how that transformation happened, in the latest edition of our Talking T20 podcast. (also available on our Soundcloud channel here, if that's your thing)

7.47pm The rain's now heavy enough to force the players off the field. The covers are being rolled in. Believe me, it's raining in Dubai

Debayan Sen: Have seen some insane rain once in November 2013, when I was commentating on the ICC World T20 qualifiers. We were slated to do a game between Nepal and Afghanistan in Sharjah, and the town was practically under water. We did sneak in a 7-overs a side match, where Afghanistan won comfortably.

Umair: "There has been reports of heavy downpour on Abu Dhabi highway few mins back not far away from Dubai Sports City and the weather charts are showing the rain system is moving towards Dubai ...Bad news coming ahead !"

Two lefties at the crease. Where's Hafeez? Shaheen to continue

Adeel: "Shaheen's early years coach and mentor was his elder brother Riaz Afridi who played only 1 test for Pakistan and that was against Sri Lanka. Later on Riaz joined the controversial ICL and couldn't make a come back"

Muneeb : "We had heavy rain fall in Bahrain today morning why not at dubai... Its raining in gulf..."

Debayan Sen: Pakistan had 7 fours in the first 10 overs. None yet for NZ