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Summary
Pakistan won by 43 runsNew Zealand 250/9 (50.0 ov) Pakistan 293/7 (50 ov)New Zealand kept themselves in the hunt during their chase of 294 but the loss of three wickets ensured the advantage remained with Pakistan as they attempt to level the series. Martin Guptill and Jamie How delivered a brisk start to revive New Zealand after their bowlers had been caned in the death overs of the Pakistan innings, but sharp catching from the Pakistan fielders helped keep the hosts in check. Pakistan had capitalised on the short square boundaries at the AMI Stadium, with centurion Mohammad Hafeez helping himself for runs there early in his innings, and Shahid Afridi inflicting a punishment to remember during his 25-ball air-show. Guptill tried to follow suit as early as the first over, pulling Abdul Razzaq over midwicket before launching him for two sixes five overs later. How, promoted to open the batting in the absence of Jesse Ryder, promised much with an elegant off drive off Sohail Tanvir followed by a monstrous pull over the midwicket fence. New Zealand had been progressing smoothly before a change in pace from Tanvir brought about How's downfall as he holed out to deep midwicket. While Guptill continued to pierce the leg-side field for boundaries, he lost captain Ross Taylor to a good, low catch at slip from Younis Khan as he pushed at a delivery from Umar Gul after a watchful start to his innings. When Pakistan had got through four boundary-less overs in the second Powerplay, the pressure got to Guptill, who punched Wahab Riaz uppishly towards point where Ahmed Shehzad dived forward to clasp the ball inches from the ground. Scott Styris and Kane Williamson were left with the rebuilding job amid a spread-out field and a creeping required rate in a big chase. Mohammad Hafeez batted with sound flexibility to overcome early setbacks and a tricky pitch to boost Pakistan to a competitive total with his maiden ODI century. He counter-attacked after Pakistan were dented during their start, dropped anchor in the middle overs to set up a launching pad for a late surge, and opened up at the death. The hosts didn't help their cause by way of some indisciplined bowling, doling out freebies to relieve the pressure inflicted on Pakistan after the fall of a wicket, and wilted during a late onslaught from Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal that helped steal 127 from the last ten overs and left them with a stiff chase. New Zealand, unsurprisingly, chose to field on a green pitch though the grass hardly played any role. The surface had promised significant seam movement but it ended up being negligible, and instead the track played slow and low, taking Pakistan by surprise. Ahmed Shehzad played away from his body to be caught at slip in the second over; Kamran Akmal dragged a wide delivery from Tim Southee back onto the stumps - hardly any movement but the ball didn't appear to come on. The New Zealand seamers were dealt with caution when they bowled in the channel outside off and on a good length, but they failed to remain consistent. Instead, they gifted the Pakistan batsmen a spate of short deliveries that were unpardonable, given the short square boundaries. Not long after he had pegged Pakistan back with two wickets, Southee was pulled for consecutive boundaries by Hafeez; Hamish Bennett, struggling to bowl into the wind and dropping significantly in pace, was welcomed with a swipe to fine leg and a six over long-on while Jacob Oram, in the very over he dismissed Younis Khan, was dispatched over midwicket. New Zealand had a few chances to limit the damage. Hafeez was dropped on 49 by Brendon McCullum, diving full length to his right and failing to hold on to a difficult chance; Misbah-ul-Haq, who added 94 with Hafeez, was given a reprieve through a missed stumping by McCullum and Bennett dropped a relatively simple catch off Shahid Afridi which, otherwise, could have checked the one-way traffic towards the end of the innings. Even as Pakistan tried to rebuild their innings, Hafeez was able to find the boundary with little effort. He had often failed to convert starts after being promoted to open but displayed an excellent ability to adapt in this innings, rotating the strike with Misbah and threading the gaps with adept footwork and timing. He stepped out to smash debutant Luke Woodcock for a straight boundary, lofted Oram over the in-field and, after securing his century and taking the batting Powerplay, scooping and slogging Southee for successive fours and signing off with a heaved six off Kyle Mills. By the time he fell, getting a leading edge off Mills, Umar had warmed up with a couple of meaty hits and Afridi only had join in. He targeted Oram, who was struggling with his lengths, in the 46th over, hammering him for two sixes on the leg side and a boundary through cover. The seamers either bowled too full or dragged the ball too short and Afridi, scooping, swatting and slapping, collected sixes over fine leg, cover point and long-on on his way to the fastest half-century - off 19 balls - by a batsman in New Zealand, equalling the record held by McCullum. Teams had been at the receiving end of such a Pakistan strategy in the 1999 World Cup when slow progress with wickets in hand through the middle overs set the stage for a violent surge in the last ten. Not a bad thing to prepare for the 2011 edition in much the same way. (Courtesy: Cricinfo)
