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New Zealand vs Pakistan, 1st T20I at Dubai, , Dec 04 2014 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st T20I (N), Dubai (DICS), December 04, 2014, New Zealand tour of United Arab Emirates
(19.1/20 ov, T:136) 140/3

Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
76* (64)
sarfaraz-ahmed
New
PAK
Full commentary

That's all from today, but we will be back again in less than 24 hours for the second match of the series. Don't go away too far.. or too long. Ciao ciao.

Shahid Afridi: "It's difficult to come back after a long time, but this is how it has been for the last 18 years of my career. I have handled challenges all along. We had a long batting line-up so we were confident. But the credit goes to the bowlers for bowling brilliantly, then Sarfraz played an excellent innings. He is in great form. The atmosphere within the team is great at the moment and if it continues like this, Pakistan will do better in the coming days."

Kane Williamson: "We want to improve on our performance. There were things that went wrong today: we lost wickets early today and then couldn't pick up wickets with the ball. It's great to have a look at all the players with so much cricket to come. They had a bit of dew when they were playing, but they just outplayed us."

Sarfraz Ahmed is the Man of the Match. He says, "I want to give the credit to Vicky Bhai [Waqar] and Shahid Bhai for sending me at the top of the order. It's difficult in this format to come late because you have to hit every ball but it's easier at the top as you have time to play yourself in. The sweep shot gives me confidence.

Although they took their time, Pakistan were never really tested in the chase. Sarfraz Ahmed struggled to get going against the searing pace of the NZ trio earlier but once he got set, there was no stopping him What a year he has been having! New Zealand, on the other hand, lost early wickets during their innings and a few in the latter half to end up with a middling total.

valiant: "Neesham : 6 runs scored 6 runs spent ... Brilliant "

talha Hameed: "With this victory, Pakistan becomes the 1st team ever to win 50 T20I matches. "

Neil: "Well done Neesham, ends up withan economy rate of 36.00 Runs per over!"

19.1
6
Neesham to Umar Akmal, SIX runs

superb hit! It's full on the stumps and Umar Akmal just deposits it over long on with a beautiful straight hit. Pakistan win this comfortably. Just one ball for Neesham then...

And Neesham shows up finally..

end of over 198 runs
PAK: 134/3CRR: 7.05 RRR: 2.00
Umar Akmal21 (13b 3x4)
Sarfaraz Ahmed76 (64b 8x4 2x6)
Anton Devcich 2-0-19-0
Mitchell McClenaghan 4-0-21-1
18.6
1
Devcich to Umar Akmal, 1 run

tucked away to square leg for another single

18.5
1
Devcich to Sarfaraz, 1 run

he waits in the crease and chops it towards point for another single

18.4
Devcich to Sarfaraz, no run

pushes this one wide outside off, the batsman, looking for the wide, leaves it alone

18.3
1
Devcich to Umar Akmal, 1 run

quicker delivery on the stumps, nudged to the right of midwicket for another single

18.2
1
Devcich to Sarfaraz, 1 run

paddles this to the left of short fine leg for a quick single

hadi: "will this come down to that one over where NZ would wish they had a Maxwell of their own in their team?"

18.1
4
Devcich to Sarfaraz, FOUR runs

tossed up delivery, that is murdered over the bowler's head. One bounce and four. Pakistan one shot away now

Just 10 runs needed. Plenty of T20 time for those runs. Devcich comes in

end of over 185 runs
PAK: 126/3CRR: 7.00 RRR: 5.00
Sarfaraz Ahmed70 (60b 7x4 2x6)
Umar Akmal19 (11b 3x4)
Mitchell McClenaghan 4-0-21-1
Nathan McCullum 4-0-26-0
17.6
1
McClenaghan to Sarfaraz, 1 run

fuller delivery on the stumps, clipped to deep midwicket

17.5
McClenaghan to Sarfaraz, no run

short delivery, Sarfraz doesn't help himself by coming down the pitch.. Misses his pull shot

Ali Tabba: "And with the form he is in, and considering his experience as a captain, I expect Sarfaraz to replace (not displace) Misbah as a captain upon the latter's retirement."

17.4
1
McClenaghan to Umar Akmal, 1 run

comes down the pitch and gets a full toss, slices it to deep point

17.3
1
McClenaghan to Sarfaraz, 1 run

another slower delivery, bowled with a grunt. The batsman nudges it to backward square leg for another single

17.2
1b
McClenaghan to Umar Akmal, 1 bye

superb slower delivery, beats the bat and bounces short of the keeper to beat him too.. it deflects to fine leg

17.1
1
McClenaghan to Sarfaraz, 1 run

slower bouncer, calmly clipped away to fine leg for a single

McClenaghan comes in to bowl his last

end of over 177 runs
PAK: 121/3CRR: 7.11 RRR: 5.00
Umar Akmal18 (9b 3x4)
Sarfaraz Ahmed67 (56b 7x4 2x6)
Nathan McCullum 4-0-26-0
Matt Henry 4-0-31-0
16.6
2
McCullum to Umar Akmal, 2 runs

clears his front leg and clubs it to deep midwicket

Irfan: "@farrukhshahzad...and hopefully because of that..Umar Akmal can solely focus on his batting and realize his potential and become a world class batsman!"

16.5
1
McCullum to Sarfaraz, 1 run

comes down the pitch and slogs it across the line to deep midwicket

16.4
2
McCullum to Sarfaraz, 2 runs

takes it on the full again but doesn't get the proper timing, couple to wide long on

16.3
McCullum to Sarfaraz, no run

comes down the pitch, takes it on the full but hits it straight to midwicket

16.2
1
McCullum to Umar Akmal, 1 run

slower and on the stumps, the batsman dabs it to the leg side and calls for a quick single

16.1
1
McCullum to Sarfaraz, 1 run

he looks to whack it through midwicket but gets a bit of inside edge to deep square leg

Nathan comes in.

end of over 1614 runs
PAK: 114/3CRR: 7.12 RRR: 5.50
Umar Akmal15 (7b 3x4)
Sarfaraz Ahmed63 (52b 7x4 2x6)
Matt Henry 4-0-31-0
Mitchell McClenaghan 3-0-17-1
15.6
4
Henry to Umar Akmal, FOUR runs

on the pads, Umar tickles it fine on the leg side, it races away once it beats the man at short fine leg

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