New Zealand scored a thrilling victory over Pakistan in a warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup, chasing down a target of 191 with just one wicket to spare.
New Zealand put in a superb all-round performance to defeat Pakistan in the warm-up match, with their batting and bowling both excelling.
The New Zealand bowlers started well, restricting Pakistan to just 40 runs for the loss of two wickets in the first six overs. However, Pakistan recovered well, with Babar Azam scoring a century and Fakhar Zaman scoring a half-century. Pakistan eventually finished on 190 for 6.
The New Zealand batsmen started their chase cautiously, but they soon picked up the pace. Martin Guptill scored a half-century and Glenn Phillips scored a quickfire 40. However, New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals and they were struggling at 140 for 5 in the 17th over.
But then came a match-winning partnership between Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner. Neesham and Santner added 51 runs for the sixth wicket and they took New Zealand to victory with just one ball to spare.
New Zealand’s batting performance
New Zealand’s batting performance was a mixed bag. They lost wickets at regular intervals, but they were also able to score quickly.
Martin Guptill was the top scorer for New Zealand, with 50 runs from 36 balls. Guptill hit five fours and two sixes in his innings.
Glenn Phillips was another good performer for New Zealand, with 40 runs from 24 balls. Phillips hit four fours and three sixes in his innings.
Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner also played important roles in New Zealand’s win. Neesham scored 33 runs from 23 balls, while Santner scored 28 runs from 24 balls.
New Zealand’s bowling performance
New Zealand’s bowling performance was excellent. They restricted Pakistan to just 40 runs for the loss of two wickets in the first six overs.
The New Zealand bowlers were able to take wickets at regular intervals throughout the Pakistani innings. Trent Boult was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, with three wickets for 23 runs.
Tim Southee and Ish Sodhi also took two wickets each for New Zealand.
Pakistan’s batting performance
Pakistan’s batting performance was very good. They scored 190 runs for 6 wickets, which is a very good total in a T20 match.
Babar Azam was the top scorer for Pakistan, with 103 runs from 62 balls. Azam hit 11 fours and three sixes in his innings.
Fakhar Zaman was another good performer for Pakistan, with 55 runs from 43 balls. Zaman hit five fours and two sixes in his innings.
Mohammad Rizwan and Asif Ali also played important roles in Pakistan’s innings, with 26 runs each.
Pakistan’s bowling performance
Pakistan’s bowling performance was not as good as their batting performance. They were unable to take wickets at regular intervals and they conceded a lot of runs.
Shaheen Afridi was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers, with two wickets for 42 runs. However, the other Pakistan bowlers were unable to take wickets.
Conclusion:
New Zealand’s victory over Pakistan in the warm-up match was a very good performance. They were able to chase down a target of 191 with just one wicket to spare.
New Zealand’s batting and bowling both performed well in the match. Martin Guptill, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, and Mitchell Santner all played important roles in the batting department, while Trent Boult, Tim Southee, and Ish Sodhi all took wickets in the bowling department.
Pakistan’s batting performance was very good, but their bowling performance was not as good. Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, and Asif Ali all played important roles in the batting department, but Shaheen Afridi was the only Pakistan bowler to take wickets.
New Zealand will be looking to carry their winning momentum into the T20 World Cup. They are one of the favorites to win the tournament and they will be hoping to lift the trophy for the third time.