Player of the Match
Player of the Match
2577dThe Report by Rachna Shetty

NZ level series with 17-run win

Like the Test series that preceded the Twenty20 games, New Zealand forged a comeback to beat Pakistan by 17 runs in Dubai to square the two-match series 1-1

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Ahmed Shehzad
Ahmed Shehzad
33(36) 1x4 - 0x6
Control %83%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 8 runs
  • 1x4 - 0x6
0 1 5 6 12 1 2 6
KS Williamson
KS Williamson
32(31) 3x4 - 1x6
Control %71%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 8 runs
  • 0x4 - 1x6
0 6 1 1 8 6 4 6

Best performances - Bowlers

JDS Neesham
JDS Neesham
O3
M0
R25
W3
Eco8.33
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
KD Mills
KD Mills
O3.5
M0
R26
W3
Eco6.78
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W

Match Details

Toss

Pakistan , elected to field first

Player Of The Match

Player Of The Series

Series result

2-match series drawn 1-1

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

20.00 start, First Session 20.00-21.20, Interval 21.20-21.40, Second Session 21.40-23.00

Match days

5 December 2014 - night match (20-over match)

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Scorer: Gopi Rangarajan | Commentator: Alagappan Muthu

That's about all we have from here. Thanks for your company and your comments. Do be on the lookout for the report and keep the debate going. Ta ta for now from Alagappan Muthu

The two captains come forward to collect the trophy now. "It was sort of an improved performance in all areas. It was pleasing tonight, we had a review about performance last night and it was nice to improve," Kane Williamson says, "It's a combination of gut and planning. It's quite enjoyable captaining in T20 cricket, fortunate to have so much experience in the side to help out. Pakistan play really well with their depth and it was never over till the last over. So good effort from the boys. Nice for everyone to get a game in these conditions and the main thing was we improved. Looks like the tracks aren't free flowing and it's a bit of tough graft really and how you shape an innings is important"

Luke Ronchi is the Man of the Series "It's nice, got a bit of luck and swung hard for a few and got away with it. It was good to get us to a total that we were lucky enough to defend. Couldn't do that last night. Very much, for any team it's a massive thing to play against Pakistan spinners and hopefully we go in full steam and do well in the one-dayers"

Anton Devcich is the Man of the Match "Did a little bowling back home opening the innings. Managed to get a couple of wickets at the top. Spur of the moment captaincy, obviously two right-handers, good opportunity to get a couple of cheap overs. Getting there to timing the ball, just adjusting from home conditions"

"Played a lot of dot balls and increased the pressure, which was needless," Shahid Afridi says. "Was I out?(smiles, when asked about his dismissal) I wanted to take a chance as Sohail Tanvir was around. International cricket is all about pressure. The one who absorbs it goes to the next level. Happy with Gull getting back to fitness and performing well. Prepared for the ODI series"

11.10 pm It was a sluggish pitch, not the most conducive to stroke play. So a target of 145 wasn't the most straight forward one. New Zealand's bowlers banded together with their assortment of slower balls, cross seamers, and arm balls to win a pretty tense game. That early spell from Anton Devich was a bonus, then Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum's strangle pushed New Zealand ahead. But then came Shahid Afridi and started tipping the scales Pakistan's way. Jimmy Neesham bowled possibly his worst over of the match, but got rid of the Pakistan captain and all but sealed New Zealand's win in Dubai. Stay tuned for the presentation

Ashok Ramkumar: "Amazing display by the Kiwis, announcing their strong contentions for World Cup 2015 ! Devcich will have much more longer beard then..."

Mudassar Alamgi: "I think Vettori is lucky for his team. In third test and now in today's match he was included in team and NZ wins."

Danish 294: "Pakistan should blame this defeat on Misbah like they always do. His aura in the stadium was enough to cost Pakistan the game."

18.5
W
Mills to Sohail Tanvir, OUT, that's shot straight up in the air, and it's that man Devcich who gets under it! New Zealand have levelled the series with a very cleverly executing bowling performance. It was back of a length and outside off to tempt a swat from Tanvir, and his bat face turns on impact to sky a catch to long-off

Sohail Tanvir c Devcich b Mills 11 (15m 6b 2x4 0x6) SR: 183.33

18.4
4
Mills to Sohail Tanvir, FOUR, lengt hball on middle, the Tanvir swipe makes another appearance and it has enough legs to beat a dive from short fine leg on his right. Timely boundary
18.4
1w
Mills to Sohail Tanvir, 1 wide, good length ball slides down leg and Tanvir can't reach it with a swipe

Raza Hasan is the last man in

18.3
W
Mills to Umar Gul, OUT, he's picked up a short of a length ball and launched it.... straight down the throat of deep midwicket. New Zealand are pulling off another stunning fighback in the UAE

Umar Gul c Taylor b Mills 0 (4m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

18.2
0
Mills to Umar Gul, no run, goes shortish on and around off stump, Gul tries to pull from his crease and is beaten
18.1
1
Mills to Sohail Tanvir, 1 run, dropped at long-on. Nathan McCullum was racing in to try and get under the flat strike from Tanvir. Got there, dives forward but isn't able to hold on.

Umar Gul walks in and gets advice from both Afridi and Anwar Ali. 24 from 12 now

  • 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

  • Neesham laps up added responsibility

    With Corey Anderson sitting out the second T20, Jimmy Neesham said he had to assume greater responsibility, and that suited him fine

  • Brownlie's duck run continues

    Plays of the day from the second T20 between Pakistan and New Zealand in Dubai

  • NZ level series with 17-run win

    Like the Test series that preceded the Twenty20 games, New Zealand forged a comeback to beat Pakistan by 17 runs in Dubai to square the two-match series 1-1

Long time coming

4

Years since New Zealand last beat Pakistan in a T20I - last instance was in Hamilton in December 2010.

A First

1

Number of times that Anton Devcich has opened the bowling in international cricket; this is the first.

Slow

2

Instances of New Zealand making a 150+ score in 11 T20Is against Pakistan

Specialist

20

Number of left handers that Mohammad Hafeez has dismissed in T20Is - only Saeed Ajmal has dismissed more (24)

One-way traffic

3

New Zealand have won only three of the 10 T20s they have played against Pakistan

Welcome back

2

Years since Daniel Vettori last played a T20 for New Zealand, <a href="http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/533288.html" target="_blank">against England</a> during the 2012 World T20