New Zealand, Pakistan share T20 series

Sarfraz Ahmed's unbeaten 76 helped Pakistan win the first T20I against New Zealand in Dubai, but the visitors leveled the two-match series a day later thanks to a three-wicket haul from James Neesham.

Sarfraz, opening for the first time in a T20I, added 51 for the first wicket with Awais Zia, and unbroken 43 for the fourth with Umar Akmal to steer Pakistan past their 136 target with five balls remaining. Even though Sarfraz had batted only once in his last four T20 games for Pakistan, that too at No.8, he did not take much time to settle and started off by slashing Mitchell McClenaghan past point and sweeping Matt Henry over fine leg for fours.

Pakistan lost three quick wickets, but Sarfraz remained unfazed, hitting Corey Anderson for successive fours, and then launching him for six over cow corner to bring up his half-century.

"I think it's been a good seven-eight months that he has started coming out of the shell and is trying to play his own game," Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said after the game. "He's a stroke-maker and he likes to play his shots and when he's free, when he's got less pressure on him, I feel that he plays a lot better than anybody else."

New Zealand, however, fought back in the second match to clinch a 17-run win. Defending 145 on a slow pitch, Neesham collected 3 for 25 to wreck Pakistan's middle order and send his team on the way to victory. Neesham first dismissed Saad Nasim for 19, and followed it up by bowling Umar Akmal and having Shahid Afridi caught behind in successive overs, as New Zealand bundled Pakistan out for 127 in 18.5 overs.

Speaking after the game, Neesham said that he was happy to shoulder extra responsibility in the absence of Anderson. "In the last game, I didn't bowl till the last over which was a wee bit disappointing I suppose," he said. "But with Corey sitting out the game today, there was always going to be a little bit more responsibility on my shoulders with his overs missing. It was nice to have a little bit more responsibility."