Pakistan v New Zealand, 2014-15
Wisden's review of the second Twenty20 International, Pakistan v New Zealand, 2014-15
15-Apr-2015
At Dubai, December 5, 2014 (floodlit). New Zealand won by 17 runs. Toss: Pakistan.
Pakistan have a long and inglorious history of failure against innocuous left-arm spinners, and Anton Devcich, with a beard more Rasputin than hipster, was about as harmless as they come. Opening the bowling, Devcich sent down nine dot balls and, more significantly, did not concede a boundary, to stifle Pakistan's chase of a modest target. He didn't spin it much, but had Sarfraz Ahmed lbw off the fourth ball of the innings (although Hawk-Eye had it missing leg by a stump and a half), and Mohammad Hafeez caught and bowled in his next over. Ahmed Shehzad made a useful 33 in his first match back from a fractured skull, but Mills and Neesham feasted off what remained. New Zealand's batsmen had struggled to find any kind of momentum against steady bowling; Brownlie bagged his third duck in five Twenty20 international innings. No one made more than Williamson's 32, but New Zealand found a way to bat through the innings.
Man of the Match: A. P. Devcich. Man of the Series: L. Ronchi.
Pakistan have a long and inglorious history of failure against innocuous left-arm spinners, and Anton Devcich, with a beard more Rasputin than hipster, was about as harmless as they come. Opening the bowling, Devcich sent down nine dot balls and, more significantly, did not concede a boundary, to stifle Pakistan's chase of a modest target. He didn't spin it much, but had Sarfraz Ahmed lbw off the fourth ball of the innings (although Hawk-Eye had it missing leg by a stump and a half), and Mohammad Hafeez caught and bowled in his next over. Ahmed Shehzad made a useful 33 in his first match back from a fractured skull, but Mills and Neesham feasted off what remained. New Zealand's batsmen had struggled to find any kind of momentum against steady bowling; Brownlie bagged his third duck in five Twenty20 international innings. No one made more than Williamson's 32, but New Zealand found a way to bat through the innings.
Man of the Match: A. P. Devcich. Man of the Series: L. Ronchi.