Sydney: Pakistan restricted New Zealand to 152 for four in the T20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday on the back of their bowlers led by Shaheen Shah Afridi. For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell scored an unbeaten 53 off 35 balls and captain Kane Williamson scored 46 off 42 balls to take the score past 150. After an average performance in the group stage, the attitude of the Pakistani team, which reached the semi-finals on the basis of luck, was completely changed today.
His bowlers performed disciplined and the fielding was also very prompt. Kiwi captain Kane Williamson’s decision to bat first after winning the toss proved to be wrong when Afridi gave him a blow in the first over itself. Finn Allen hit Afridi for a four on the first ball but the batsman was dodged on the very next ball and the on-field umpire declared him leg-behind. On taking the review of New Zealand, it was found that the bat was on the ball and the decision was taken in favor of the batsman.
read also
On the very next ball, however, Afridi gave Pakistan a great start by getting the Finn out leg before in the same fashion. New Zealand batsman David Conway tried to ease the pressure on New Zealand by hitting Naseem Shah for two boundaries in the next over. Haris Rauf, who came as the first change, gave away only four runs in his first over. New Zealand’s second wicket fell in the sixth over when Devon Conway, who seemed to be at the crease, was run out in an attempt to steal a quick run.
In the next over, Glenn Phillips was sent to the pavilion by Mohammad Nawaz with a return catch. At this time New Zealand’s score was 49 for three in eight overs. Williamson and Mitchell then shared a 50-ball 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Williamson, playing the role of the architect of the innings, took a couple of runs and advised loose balls. Both added 50 runs in just 36 balls but fours and sixes were hard hit.
A total of two sixes were hit in the Kiwi innings, out of which one Williamson and one Mitchell hit. Only ten fours could be hit in the whole innings. Williamson fell four runs short of a half-century and was bowled by Afridi in the 17th over. Mitchell and James Neesham (16 not out) shared a 22-ball 35-run partnership but could not play fast enough in the last over. New Zealand scored just 46 runs in the last five overs. (agency)