3rd ODI: Pakistan v New Zealand at Lahore, 27 Apr 2002 Agha Akbar |
Pakistan innings:
Pre-game: New Zealand innings: |
McMillan was the first to go, after making 38 of 48 deliveries including three fours, when the score was 83 in the 18th over. McMillan looped a simple chance to Inzamam at mid-wicket in trying to pull Sami, who too was trying to work up pace in the region mid-140s regularly.
Lou Vincent, who had quite efficiently kept wickets earlier in the day, came in at the fall of McMillan. He along with skipper Fleming tried to steady the ship but their hopes ended when Fleming was bowled by off-spinner Shoaib Malik round his legs. Fleming made for 15 of 26 balls, with one four.
At this point, the New Zealanders were 121 and the required run rate was already creeping up to 7 an over. Scott Styris came replaced his captain, and t the end of 30th over Kiwis were 137-4 with Vincent and Styris trying to make a fist of it at 30 and 6 respectively.
With the New Zealand still require 142 runs at an awkward run rate of exactly 7.1, the near capacity crowd which had electrified the proceedings throughout grdually started filing out. To them the Black Caps end was nigh, and they had had their evening’s entertainment.
McMillan along with Matt Horne steadied the ship for the New Zealanders by playing with controlled aggression. Specially Horne played with lot of guts as he flicked ace of pace Shoaib Akhtar for two consecutive fours over mid wicket and square leg in the eighth over. Shoaib was replaced by Sami after a rather expensive spell of bowling where he went for 23 runs in four overs. Matt Horne rode his luck when he was caught behind of a no-ball in the very first over of Muhammad Sami. New Zealand reached their 50 in the 11th over in 56 minutes. Both Horne and McMillan continued to play their shots and also tried to maintain a healthy run rate. Matt Horne was bowled by Abdul Razzaq in the 15th over of the innings, he made 28 of 44 balls including three fours. New Zealand were 71-2 with McMillan on 34 and skipper Stephan Fleming on 1 at the end of 15th over.
Earlier Pakistan set New Zealand a formidable target of 279. Pakistan’s innings was built upon second one day international hundred by Shoaib Malik who made a chance less 115. Yousaf Youhana also chipped in with his 18th ODI fifty and made 53 of 51 balls. Brooke Walker was the most successful Kiwi bowler with figures of 2-49 which included the price wickets of Yousaf Youhana and Inzamamul Haq.
Though the finish was not as powerful as it could have been, with the last 10 overs going for just 71 runs, it still was a very organised batting display by Pakistan, fifth on the trot if one includes the last two games of Sharjah Cup 2002. And though the Kiwis bowled with a lot of discipline, conceding only three extras in the whole innings, and barring one dropped chance fielded with their usual athleticism, they still had no answer to Pakistan’s clinical efficiency in gathering runs. That without Younis Khan or Abdul Razzaq getting a proper innings. As Razzaq walked in at the fag end, only 17 deliveries remained. He got to face 11 of them, he slammed 22 of them, with two fours and a six, all in the mid-wicket region, to provide some impetus to the innings which was tapering off at the close. Ostensibly because of Malik getting bogged down while looking for his hundred and debutant Misbah-ul-Haq trying to make a success of his first outing. Though the corner stone of the innings was young Malik’s knock, his highest in One-day Internationals, it were the four partnerships which ensured that Pakistan posted a big total without any real difficulty.
Shahid Afridi started the way he usually does, in an exuberant manner, flicking Andre Adams first delivery to deep square leg for a boundary. He hit two more to the fence, and in trying to repeat one of them over mid-wicket, loping a simple catch to Matt Horne at mid-on off Andre Adams.
Yousuf Youhana, who is in high season form these days, chipped in with a brisk 53 (of 51 balls, 5 fours, 2 towering sixes). He seemed to be in the kind of groove that had the promise of a third century in four innings, and once Scott Styris dropped him in the covers of Chris Harris. He really rubbed it in, by clouting Harris for a six and four in the same over and then spanking Ian Butler for two fours next over. But having made his 50 in style, Youhana gave it away when he offered a simple chance to leggie Brooke Walker in his first over. But by then the second wicket stand had posted 93, off mere 103 balls.
Inzamam, out of sorts in recent times, seemed to be in his element, as he whacked Walker for a huge six over long-on. Malik reached his 50 in the next over, from 76 deliveries, and laced with six fours, some of them really glorious strokes.
Inzamam played well for his 35 (40 balls, 1 four, 1 six) before he trying to clear the field played one right down the throat of Daryl Tuffey at deep mid-wicket off Walker. Pakistan were 191 at this point and the third wicket partnership between Inzamam and Malik had yielded 72 runs. Inzmam was replaced by debutant Misbah-ul-Haq who mostly concentrated on rotating the strike, but with Malik eyeing his century things slowed down a bit, and though Pakistan had posted 207 by the end of40th over, the next four only yielded 19. Malik reached his 100, off 130 balls with 11 fours, but the scoring rate was still a trifle slow. Malik and Misbah, after contributing 59 in 65 balls, departed in quick succession with Razzaq bringing the innings on a more bright note, hitting Styris for a six in the last over to make it count for a dozen.
A highly defendable total, given Pakistan’s potent attack.
As if to rub it in, Youhana immediately went after Harris, clouting him for six at mid-wicket and then for a boundary. Next over, Ian Butler too felt the weight of his bat when he cut him for four to point and then imperiously drove him straight to the fence. Next over, he raised his 50, off just 46 deliveries with the help of five fours and a couple of sixes.
The partnership between him and Malik for the second wicket had yielded 93 off a mere 103 balls.
The two were going strong when the Kiwi skipper Fleming brought in his leggie Brooke Walker in the 23rd over, and he immediately delivered by taking a straight forward caught and bowled chance of Youhana, spooning the ball while essaying a flick him in the mid-wicket region. In walked Inzamam, out of sorts as far as big runs are concerned. But he seemed to be in his element today, as he whacked Walker for a huge six over long-on. Malik reached his 50 in the next over, from 76 deliveries, and laced with six fours, some of them really glorious strokes. The partnership was going strong at the end of the 30th over, and with plenty of batting to come, the Black Caps were definitely looking for a big chase under the lights.
While Malik took some time settling down, Daryl Tuffey bowling him two straight maidens, Afridi began as he always does, flicking Andre Adam’s first delivery to deep square leg for a four. He went on to hit two more fours. His third four was right over the head of the bowler and into the long-on fence. Trying to repeat the shot the very next ball, he loped a simple catch to mid-on fielder Matt Horne off Adams. Afridi made a run a ball 18 including three hits across the fence, yet again perishing when he promised greater things.
Yousuf Youhana, in tremendous form of late, walked in and after a cautious start, he was getting into the kind of groove that mostly is ominous for opposition. He superbly cut Ian Butler, the second change, to the point boundary.
On the other end, Malik, who was opening the batting for the first time in his career, was also looking every inch a top order batsman, making 32 of 64 balls with five fours, two of them to Adams in one over at mid-wicket and extra cover. Both had touch of class.
Pakistan reached their 50 in the 12th over (72 balls) for the loss of one wicket, and on the flat pitch the Black Caps were likely to find the going exceedingly tough as the evening progressed.
Earlier, Pakistan made three changes to their side and the Kiwis two. For Pakistan Mohammad Sami came in for Wasim Akram, Shoaib Malik for Saqlain Mushtaq and Misbah-ul-Haq is making his ODI debut replacing Imran Nazir. The Kiwis brought in Chris Harris for Jacob Oram and Ian Butler for glovesman Robbie Hart and Lou Vincent as ‘keeper.
As the home team will be playing for a whitewash the vistitors will be seeking a face saving victory to boost their morale before the upcoming Test series. The wicket, devoid of grass, looked to be another good batting track. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first, opening with Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik.
Thus, the match reduced to academic interest for the hosts, Pakistan made three changes in their side due to their rotation policy in preparation of the 2003 World Cup. Veterans Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq, young opener Imran Nazir were sat out, replaced by Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq respectively.
The Black Caps, fighting for pride here, made two changes, bringing back fit-again one-day specialist Chris Harris in place of Robbie Hart and Ian Butler for Jacob Oram.
Teams
New Zealand: +CJ Nevin, MJ Horne, CD McMillan, AR Adams, L Vincent, SB Styris, *SP Fleming, DR Tuffey, BGK Walker, IG Butler, CZ Harris
Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Abdur Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq, +Rashid Latif, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Malik, *Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar
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Date-stamped : 27 Apr2002 - 22:25