World record T20 stand sinks Pakistan

A world-record T20 partnership by Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson gave New Zealand a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the second Twenty20 against Pakistan in Hamilton on Sunday.

Set a target of 169, Guptill finished the match with a boundary to take the New Zealand total to 171 with 14 balls remaining and all wickets intact.

His stand with Williamson eclipsed the previous best Twenty20 partnership of 170 set by South Africans Graeme Smith and Loots
Bosman against England in 2009.

New Zealand's dominance in Hamilton, after Pakistan won the first game in Auckland on Friday, means the three-match series will be decided in Wellington next Friday.

Guptill, who uncharacteristically trailed Williamson for much of the match, finished with a flourish to be 87 not out from 58 balls with nine fours and four sixes.

Williamson faced 48 balls for his 72, which included 11 fours.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first but there was no urgency about their run-gathering.

Halfway through their innings Pakistan were 60-2, while New Zealand passed the same 60 mark in the seventh over and were 82-0 after 10 overs.

Williamson and Guptill both brought up their half-centuries in the 13th over when they took 15 off Mohammad Amir, whose three overs cost 34 runs.

While Pakistan tried desperately for a wicket, the one chance they were offered went to ground when Shoaib Malik dropped a straightforward caught-and-bowled chance from Williamson on 61.

After the slow start to the Pakistan innings, Umar Akmal and Malik added backbone with a 63-run partnership off 34 balls to get the tourists up to 168-7.

Akmal was unbeaten on 56 off 27 deliveries at the close while Malik made 39 off 30.

New Zealand, with an eye on the World Twenty20 in India in March, experimented with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner opening the bowling. New-ball spearheads Trent Boult and Matt Henry sat out the match.

It was a switch which suited Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez, who took 10 off the first over with a six and a four.

But when Santner was removed from the attack, Corey Anderson and Adam Milne put the brakes on the scoring before the Akmal-Malik onslaught.

While Pakistan only scored 60 runs in the first 10 overs, they added 108 in the second half of the innings.

Mitchell McClenaghan had the best figures for New Zealand with two for 23.

Williamson hammers two consecutive boundaries off Amir as New Zealand are off to a flying start. NZ 53-0, 5 overs.

Big over for New Zealand as Williamson cracks three boundaries of Wasim. NZ 31-0, 3 overs.

Williamson flicks Amir to backward square leg for his first boundary. NZ 17-0, 2 overs.

Guptill whacks Gul into the crowd for the first six of the innings as New Zealand begin chasing 169. NZ 10-0, 1 over.

Pakistan innings

A superb unbeaten half century by Umar Akmal (56 off 27 balls with four boundaries and four sixes) has powered Pakistan to 168-7.

Malik chipped in with a breezy 39.

McClenaghan claimed two for 23.

Sarfraz Ahmed run out 1 (2b)

Milne takes a terrific catch to dismiss Wasim. Pak 161-6, 18.5 overs.

Imad Wasim c Milne b McClenaghan 8 (4b 1x6)

Akmal races to a magnificent half century off just 22 balls hammering two boundaries and a six off consecutive ball from McClenaghan.

Wasim blasts Milne for a six over the short cover boundary. Pak 146-5, 18 overs.

Afridi departs after blasing a six off Milne. Pak 137-5, 17.2 overs.

Shahid Afridi c Williamson b Milne 7 (3b 1x6)

McLenaghan strikes yorking Malik. Pak 130-4, 16.5 overs.

Shoaib Malik b McClenaghan 39 (30b 5x4)

Akmal smacks Elliott out of the ground with a sweetly timed slog. Pak 127-3, 16 overs.

The 50 partnership between Malik and Akmal comes off 24 balls.

Malik brings up the 100 of the innings with a couple of cuts to the fence behind point. Pak 102-3, 14 overs.

Akmal announces his arrival by launching Santner for a couple of sixes on the short boundary. Pak 91-3, 13 overs.

Santner pouches a towering skier off a mishit from Maqsood. Pak 67-3, 11.1 overs.

Sohaib Maqsood c Santner b Elliott 18 (23b 1x4 1x6)

Malik edges Milne past the keeper for his first boundary. Pak 67-2, 11 overs.

aqsood gets into his stride by rocking back and sending Astle soaring into the stands at midwicket. Pak 49-2, 8 overs.

Santner has struck again as Hafeez picks the fielder at midwicket failing to clear the short boundary this time. Pak 34-2, 6.1 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez c Astle b Santner 19 (23b 2x4 1x6)

New Zealand have restricted Pakistan to 34-1 in the Powerplay overs.

McClenaghan bowls an excellent over conceding just a single. Pak 30-1, 5 overs.

Anderson draws first blood as Shehzad attempts to slog to leg only to slice it to mid-off. Pak 29-1, 4 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad c Williamson b Anderson 9 (8b 1x4)

Shehzad hits his first boundary punching Milne through mid-on. Pak 22-0, 3 overs.

New Zealand open the attack with left arm spinner Santner whose second delivery is hoisted for a six over the shorter midwicket fence followed by a crunching drive through the covers for a boundary. Pak 11-0, 1 over.

Shahid Afridi has won the toss and Pakistan are batting first again.

The tourists have named an unchanged XI.

New Zealand have rested Trent Boult and Matt Henry, and have brought in Ross Taylor and Mitchell McClenaghan.

Teams

New Zealand: KS Williamson, CJ Anderson, TD Astle, TA Boult, GD Elliott, MJ Guptill, MJ Henry, TWM Latham, MJ McClenaghan, AF Milne, C Munro, L Ronchi†, MJ Santner, LRPL Taylor

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi, Aamer Yamin, Ahmed Shehzad, Anwar Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Nasim, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz

RECAP 1ST T20

Paceman Mohammad Amir claimed a wicket on his return to international cricket following a five-year ban as Pakistan registered a 16-run victory over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Auckland on Friday.

Playing his first match for Pakistan after being banned for taking payments to bowl no-balls, the 23-year-old toiled without much luck before claiming a wicket off his final delivery to finish with figures of 1-31.

Home skipper Kane Williamson (70) and Colin Munro (56) had seemingly set New Zealand on course to reach the 172-run victory target before their chase stalled and the hosts were dismissed for 155 in exactly 20 overs.

After being asked to bat, former captain Mohammad Hafeez (61) helped the tourists overcome a slow start, hitting Trent Boult for back-to-back fours and clobbering Corey Anderson for two boundaries and a six in the same over.

Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi (23) hit two sixes and a couple of fours in the same Matt Henry over in a typically busy eight-ball knock, while Umar Akmal (24) chipped in with a 14-ball cameo to help Pakistan put up a competitive 171-8 total.

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