Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st T20 in Dubai: Sarfraz steers Pak to win

Pakistan opener Sarfraz Ahmed's belligerent 76 not out secured a comprehensive seven-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Dubai on Thursday.

Sarfraz hit two sixes and eight fours in his 64-ball knock to help Pakistan reach their target with five balls to spare after Pakistan restricted New Zealand to 135 for seven.

Asked to bat first, New Zealand slumped to 15 for three before Martin Guptill (32) and Corey Anderson (48) halted the slide with a 46-run stand.

Leading the team in the absence of rested Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson was dismissed for a golden duck when Anwar Ali's third delivery trapped him lbw.

After Guptill's departure in the 10th over, Anderson added 51 runs with Luke Ronchi (33) but his 37-ball knock studded with four sixes came to an end when Saad Nasim leapt to take a brilliant catch on the boundary.

Anderson's exit in the 16th over robbed New Zealand of the momentum and the visitors scored only 25 runs off the last five overs.

Pakistan made a flying start with Sarfraz and Awais Zia (20) taking them past the 50-mark in the eighth over.

Zia and Mohammad Hafeez fell in quick succession but Sarfraz looked unstoppable and he hit Anderson for a six in the 11th over to bring up his maiden 20-over fifty.

Umar Akmal chipped in with an unbeaten 27 off 14 balls, sealing Pakistan's victory with a six off Jimmy Neesham.

The teams return to the same ground in less than 24 hours for the second and final Twenty20 International on Friday.

Comfortable

Pakistan powered by an unbeaten half century from wicket keeper opening batsman Sarfraz Ahmed (76) secured a comfortable seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first T20 at Dubai International Stadium on Thursday.

Chasing a modest target of 136, Pakistan made 140-3 in 19.1 overs to notch their 50th T20 international victory.

Sarfraz led the way with an aggressive knock of 76 off 64 balls which was studded with eight boundaries and two sixes.

He shared in a 51-run opening stand with Zia (20) and unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 43 with Akmal who contributed 27 off 14 balls hitting three boundaries and the winning six.

Anderson top scored for New Zealand with 48 off 37 balls hammering four sixes and one boundary as they recovered from 15-3 to make 135-7 after being put into bat.

He shared in partnerships of 46 for the fourth wicket with Guptill (32) and 51 for the fifth with Ronchi (33).

Pakistan innings

Umar Akmal hoists Neesham for a six for the winning hit as Pakistan win by seven wickets with five balls to spare.

Sarfraz lofts Devcich for a boundary as Pakistan need just two off the last over. Pak 134-3 in 19 overs.

Pakistan need 10 to win from 12 balls. Pak 125-3 in 18 overs.

Pakistan need 15 from the last three overs. Pak 121-3 in 17 overs.

Henry goes for 14 with Akmal crack three boundaries as Pakistan are in sight of victory. Pak 114-3 in 16 overs.

The 100 comes for Pakistan at the end of the 15th over.

Sohail perishes hitting McClenaghan straight to McCullum at midon. Pak 97-3 in 14.3 overs.

Haris Sohail c McCullum b McClenaghan 11 (12b 1x4 0x6)

Milne completes his spell returning figures of 4-0-18-0. Pak 95-2 in 14 overs.

Pakistan need a run a ball and are cruising. Pak 91-2 in 13 overs.

Sohail was nearly undone by a yorker from Milne before pulling a short one to the fence. Pak 84-2 in 12 overs.

Big over for Pakistan as Anderson goes for 17 with Sarfraz cracking consecutive boundaries on either side of the wicket before reaching his half century off 40 balls with a six. Pak 77-2 in 11 overs.

Hafeez is run out failing to beat a throw from wicket keeper Ronchi attempting a cheeky single. Pak 60-2 in 10 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez run out 2 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Sarfraz gives McCullum the charge and finds the gap at wide mid on for a boundary. Pak 58-1 in 9 overs.

Black Caps get a breakthrough as Zia is run out by a throw from Devich. Pak 51-1 in 8.1 overs.

Awais Zia run out 20 (21b 2x4 0x6)

Good over for New Zealand with McClenaghan giving away just two runs. Pak 51-0 in 8 overs.

Pakistan are are cruising at 49-0 after 7 overs.

Sarfraz cracks consecutive boundaries off Devcich as Pakistan race to 44-0 in 6 overs.

Sarfraz gets going cracking a boundary and sweeping Henry for a six off consecutive balls. Pak 33-0 in 5 overs.

Zia gets a boundary off the first ball from Milne with a miscued pull shot. Pak 20-0 in 4 overs.

Henry bowls another good over frustrating Sarfraz. Pak 15-0 in 3 overs.

Sarfraz gets into the act cracking a short ball from  McClenaghan over the point fielder for a boundary. Pak 13-0 in 2 overs.

Zia hits the first boundary of the innings caressing McClenaghan through the covers.

Henry bowls a good opening over making his debut in T20 international. Pak 3-0.

New Zealand innings

Tanvir bowls a good final over as New Zealand are restricted to 135-7 after being put into bat with only 25 runs coming off the last five overs.

Anderson top scored with 48 off 37 balls hammering four sixes and one boundary recovering from 15-3 after three overs to make 135-7.

He shared in partnerships of 46 for the fourth wicket with Guptill (32) and 51 for the fifth with Ronchi (33).

Tanvir and Irfan claimed two wickets apiece.

Tanvir strikes knocking back the stumps of Ronchi. NZ 130-7 in 19.1 overs.

Luke Ronchi b Sohail Tanvir 33 (28b 4x4 0x6)

Neeshan departs trying to hit Irfan out of the ground but only skying it to Akmal. NZ 128-6 in 18.4 overs.

Jimmy Neesham c Umar Akmal b Mohammad Irfan 6 (9b 0x4 0x6)

New Zealand will be looking to set Pakistan a challenging total being 126-5 with two to go.

Ronchi gets another boundary as New Zealand are 121-5 with three overs remaining.

Anderson falls short of a half century going for a big hit being held in the deep by Nasim who takes a superb catch. NZ 112-5 in 15.4 overs.

Corey Anderson c Saad Nasim b Raza Hasan 48 (37b 1x4 4x6)

The 50 partnership between Anderson and Ronchi comes in just 34 balls.

Ronchi has cracked Irfan through extra cover for another boundary. NZ 110-4 in 15 overs.

Ronchi slams Afridi through the covers for a boundary as New Zealand are 100-4 with six overs to go.

Ali returns and Anderson smashes a couple of sixes with identical flat pull shots into the crowd at midwicket. NZ 93-4 in 13 overs.

Ronchi cracks Afridi through the covers for a delightful boundary. NZ 79-4 in 12 overs.

Anderson is turning it on blasting Raza into the second tier for a thundering six. NZ 71-4 in 11 overs.

Afridi strikes castling Guptill who misses a straight ball from the leg spinner. NZ 61-4 in 9.5 overs.

Martin Guptill b Shahid Afridi 32 (30b 2x4 1x6)

It ended a promising partnership of 46 between Guptill and Anderson.

Anderson brings up the 50 of the innings dancing down the track and lofting Hafeez over the sightscreen for a towering six. NZ 57-3 in 9 overs.

Guptill slams the first ball from Afridi by pulling to square leg. NZ 47-3 in 8 overs.

Guptill survives a stumping sliding back just in time before Sarfraz whips off the bails in Hafeez's first over. NZ 39-3 in 7 overs.

Anderson smashes a boundary off Hasan as NZ finish the Powerplay overs on 34-3.

Guptill gets a boundary by squeezing out an attempted yorker from Irfan to backward squar leg. NZ 28-3 in 5 overs.

Irfan strikes as Taylor bites the dust in Dubai scooping an easy catch to point being undone by the steep bounce of Irfan. NZ 15-3 in 3 overs.

Ross Taylor c Umar Akmal b Mohammad Irfan 4 (5b 1x4 0x6)

Taylor opens his account by cracking Irfan through point for a boundary.

Tanvir strikes this time as Devcich is adjudged leg before. NZ 10-2 in 2 overs.

A Devcich lbw b Sohail Tanvir 1 (5b 0x4 0x6)

Guptill hits the first six of the match flicking Tanvir over fine leg.

Williamson goes trapped leg before for a golden duck by Ali. NZ 1-1 in 0.3 overs.

Kane Williamson lbw b Anwar Ali 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Guptill and Williamson are in the middle while Anwar opens proceedings.

Pakistan captain Afridi has won the toss in the first T20 international against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XI

Pakistan: S Ahmed, A Zia, M Hafeez, U Akmal, H Sohail, S Afridi, S Nasim, Anwar Ali, Sohail Tanvir, R Hasan, M Irfan

New Zealand: K Williamson, M Guptill, A Devcich, R Taylor, C Anderson, L Ronchi, J Neesham, N McCullum, A Milne, M Henry, M McClenaghan

Preview

Pakistan and New Zealand dedicated the trophy for their two Twenty20 matches in the Dubai starting on Thursday in memory of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes who died last week.

Hughes died last Thursday, two days after being hit by a bouncer in a first class match in Sydney, leaving the cricketing world to mourn his death.

Hughes's funeral was held early Wednesday, as Pakistan and New Zealand prepare for the shortest format of the game after drawing a preceding Test series 1-1.

Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi said Hughes's tragic death has left the cricketing world in a shock.

“Hughes died very young and his tragic death has left everyone shocked,” said Afridi on Wednesday.

“We are thankful to the sponsors who have decided to dedicate the trophy in memory of Hughes as a mark of respect,” said Afridi on Wednesday.

Pakistan are boosted by the return of paceman Umar Gul, who has not played international cricket since April due to a knee problem.

Gul is the second highest wicket-taker in Twenty20 with 80 in 56 games, five behind Ajmal's 85.

He famously took 5-6 in a World Twenty20 group match against New Zealand at The Oval when Pakistan won the title in 2009.

Pakistan will hope their pace attack, which also includes the lanky 7ft, 1 inch (2.1m) Mohammad Irfan supplement the bowling attack which has spinners in Raza Hasan and Shahid Afridi.

Pakistan had a miserable World Twenty20 in Bangladesh where they failed to reach the last four for the first time in five editions of the tournament.

That prompted captain Mohammad Hafeez to step down, giving the responsibility to all-rounder Afridi for a second stint.

But Afridi's return as captain wasn't auspicious as Pakistan lost the only Twenty20 against Australia in Dubai in October by six wickets.

Afridi said Pakistan will not underestimate New Zealand who are without their dashing skipper Brendon McCullum who, along with pacemen Tim Southee and Trent Boult, have returned to New Zealand to prepare for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka.

“New Zealand are a dangerous limited over side and we will not underestimate them,” said Afridi.

“We have to be at out best to beat them.”

McCullum smashed a brilliant 202 to help New Zealand win the third and final Test in Sharjah on Sunday in the series-levelling win.

Kane Williamson, who has led New Zealand in three one-day matches and two Twenty20s will lead the Black Caps while Ross Taylor, fast bowler Adam Milne and batting all-rounder Anton Devcich return to the squad.

Pacemen Mitchell McClenaghan and Kyle Mills and spinner Nathan McCullum will also boost New Zealand.

Pakistan have beaten New Zealand in six of their nine Twenty20s with three losses.

After the second Twentyw20, also in Dubai on Friday, both teams will play five one-day internationals.

Teams:

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Awais Zia, Anwar Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Irfan, Raza Hasan, Saad Nasim, Sarfraz Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz.

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Dean Brownlie, Anton Devcich, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori

Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK) and Ahmed Shahab (PAK) Tv umpire: Shozab Raza (PAK) Match referee: Roshan Mahnama (SRI)

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