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29 March 2024

Pakistan vs New Zealand: Anderson powers Kiwis to T20 series win

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Corey Anderson's all-round show helped New Zealand thump Pakistan by 95 runs in the deciding Twenty20 international on Friday and bag the three-match series 2-1.

The powerful left-hander punished the touring side with an unbeaten 82 from 42 balls to power New Zealand to 196 for five wickets in their 20 overs after Pakistan won the toss in Wellington and opted to field.

Pakistan were left to rue their decision as Martin Guptill and captain Kane Williamson gave New Zealand a rollicking start with an opening stand of 57 runs.

Anderson smashed six boundaries and four sixes in his knock and added 80 for the fourth wicket with fellow all-rounder Grant Elliott (19) to take his side to a daunting total.

Pakistan never managed to get their chase on track and were reduced to 15-3 within the third over and finally folded for 101 in the 17th.

Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (41) showed some resistance but other than Shoaib Malik, who made 14, none of Pakistan's batsmen notched double figures.

Fast bowler Adam Milne and Elliott picked up three wickets each while Anderson also pitched in with two before he left the field due to cramps.

The two sides will next play a three one-day international series with the first match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Monday.

Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi who played possibly for the last time in New Zealand admitted they played "poor cricket" after suffering heavy defeats but vowed to bounce back before the World Twenty20.

New Zealand thrash Pakistan by 95 runs to win the three-match T20 series 2-1.

Elliott and Milne claimed three wickets apiece and Anderson two for 17 before hobbling off.

Chasing an imposing target of 197, Pakistan never recovered after slumping to 15-3 in the third over losing wickets at regular intervals.

Put into bat, New Zealand were powered by an unbeaten half century from Corey Anderson (82) riding on solid start by Martin Guptill (42) and skipper Kane Williamson (33).

Pakistan innings

Ronchi pouches a skier from Riaz as Pakistan are all out for 101 in 16.1overs.

Wahab Riaz c Ronchi b Milne 4 (5b)

Milne strikes having Anwar caught behind. Pak 98-9, 14.3 overs.

Anwar Ali c Ronchi b Milne 8 (7b 1x4)

Elliott strikes again as Sarfraz falls to the leg trap sweeping straight to short fine leg. Pak 92-8, 13.4 overs.

Sarfraz Ahmed c Milne b Elliott 41 (36b 5x4)

Sarfraz cracks two consecutive boundaries off Munro to keep alive Pakistan's run chase. Pak 90-7, 13 overs.

Another one goes down with Guptill taking an acrobatic catch. Pak 76-7, 11.5 overs.

Imad Wasim c Guptill b Elliott 0 (1b)

Pakistan's faint hopes of chasing down the target disappears with Afridi walking back to the dug out. Pak 76-6, 11.3 overs.

Shahid Afridi c sub (Henry) b Elliott 8 (8b 1x6)

Afridi gets going by backing away and slamming Boult over the covers for a six. Pak 73-5, 11 overs.

Pakistan seem to have lost the plot as Akmal swings Milne straight to the fielder on the boundary. Pak 55-5, 8.4 overs.

Umar Akmal c sub (Tom Latham) b Milne 5 (13b)

McClenaghan takes a good catch running back to send back Malik. Pak 36-4, 4.5 overs.

Shoaib Malik c McClenaghan b Anderson 14 (6b 3x4)

Good over for Pakistan as Malik gets going by cracking three boundaries off Boult. Pak 31-3, 4 overs.

Disaster for Pakistan as Rizwan commits hara kiri charging down for a single without looking at his partner. Pak 15-3, 2.3 overs.

Mohammad Rizwan run out 4 (4b 1x4)

Boult takes a superb catch at midwicket to send back Shehzad who attempts to swing Anderson out of the ground. Pak 14-2, 2.1 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad c Boult b Anderson 8 (6b 1x4)

Boult strikes with his first delivery with Hafeez miscuing a shot for Santner to take a superb catch. Pak 7-1, 1.1 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez c Santner b Boult 2 (4b)

Shehzad thumps Anderson for a boundary as Pakistan began chasing 197 off 120 balls.

New Zealand innings

A blistering unbeaten half century from Corey Anderson (82 off 42 balls) studded with six boundaries and four sixes powered New Zealand to 196-5 after being put into bat.

Akmal takes another good catch in the deep to dismiss Ronchi. NZ 175-5, 18.1 overs.

Luke Ronchi c Umar Akmal b Wahab Riaz 1 (2b)

A bit of hesitation results in the Elliott being run out after slamming a six and boundary off Wasim. NZ 174-4, 17.5 overs.

Grant Elliott run out 19 (14b 1x4 1x6)

Anderson is turning it on slamming a boundary and six off Riaz. NZ 159-3, 17 overs.

Anderson races to his 50 off 27 balls hammering Amir for a six and four. NZ 144-3, 16 overs.

Anderson blasts Afridi for a towering six. NZ 124-3, 14 overs.

Blow for New Zealand has Taylor limps out with an injury bringing in Elliot.

Anderson has clubbed Malik for a six over midwicket while Taylor also gets a boundary. NZ 110-3, 12 overs.

Anderson gets going with a couple of boundaries off Riaz but Williamson perishes with  Malik holding a skier. NZ 94-3, 11 overs.

Kane Williamson c Shoaib Malik b Wahab Riaz 33 (34b 3x4 1x6)

Williamson is continuing where Guptill left sweeping Afridi for a six. NZ 85-2, 10 overs.

Williamson breaks the shackles by smashing a couple of boundaries on either side of the wicket off Anwar. NZ 74-2, 9 overs.

A brilliant piece of fielding from Rizwan sends back Munro. NZ 62-2, 6.5 overs.

Colin Munro run out 4 (3b)

Afridi draws first blood with Akmal taking a skier to dismiss Guptill. NZ 57-1, 6 overs.

Martin Guptill c Umar Akmal b Shahid Afridi 42 (19b 6x4 2x6)

Guptill flicks the first ball from Riaz to fine leg fence to bring up the 50 of the innings in 4.1 overs.

Guptill is simply brilliant slog sweeping Imad for a six followed by a couple of boundaries. NZ 40-0, 3 overs.

Anwar goes for 16 in the opening over with Guptil clubbing a couple of boundaries and a six. NZ 16-0, 1 over.

Guptill opens with a glorious cover drive off the first ball of the match from Anwar for a boundary.

Boult replaces Astle while Pakistan have made a few changes for the decider.

New Zealand XI: 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, KS Williamson

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

Pakistan win toss and opt to bowl in third and final T20 on Friday.