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Iftikhar, Nawaz inspire consolation win as New Zealand fold for 92
After four crushing losses, Pakistan had something to smile about at the end of a tough tour as they defended 134 to take the final T20I against New Zealand by 42 runs and keep the series scoreline to 4-1.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi at the toss reckoned that on a used Christchurch surface spin is likely to play a role. He was proved right as Ifthikar Ahmed, Mohammed Nawaz and Usama Mir combined to pick six wickets to bundle New Zealand out for 92, their second lowest total on home soil.
Batting first, Mohammed Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman got 30s but most of the Pakistan batters suffered on a two-paced track to reach 134 for 8 in their 20 overs. New Zealand started the chase brightly but the Pakistan spinners orchestrated a middle-overs collapse. Iftikhar led the way with 3-24, while Nawaz and Mir picked up frugal two-fors as New Zealand were bowled out in 17.2 overs.
New Zealand would have been delighted to keep Pakistan to 134 but their joy was short-lived. Finn Allen started brightly, smashing Shaheen for a four around deep midwicket and then going one better against Nawaz in the same region. But, Rachin Ravindra, slotted into this game for Daryl Mitchell failed to get going as he sliced Nawaz to short third for 1.
Allen struck two more crisp fours off Shaheen before falling to Zaman Khan, his miscued attempt taken well by debutant Haseebullah Khan diving forward at mid-on. The New Zealand powerplay ended on 35 for 2.
Once it got clear that the surface was aiding spin, Shaheen went on an all-out spin squeeze. With the required rate climbing, Will Young tried to break the shackles by looking to slog sweep Nawaz. His attempt only reached as far as Iftikhar at deep backward square leg, who completed the catch on the second attempt.
The day went from bad to worse for Mark Chapman, who dropped Babar Azam twice, when he was run out for 1 before Tim Seifert’s difficult innings was ended by Iftikhar on 19 off 30. He went for a reverse sweep to a straight ball, missed and was trapped right in front, with Pakistan’s review confirming the ball would have smashed into the middle pole.
Mir then had Mitchell Santner caught and bowled while Iftikhar removed Matt Henry and Ish Sodhi in the same over as New Zealand collapsed from 53 for 2 to 72 for 8 in the space of 32 balls.
Glenn Phillips tried his best to take New Zealand closer but with eight wickets down, it was a bridge too far even for the man in form. Shaheen finished off the game with two wickets in two balls as Pakistan won with 2.4 overs to spare.
Haseebullah Khan had a dream PSL debut last season against Karachi Kings where he walloped a 29-ball 50. The same can’t be said about his T20I debut, which lasted all of three balls and ended with him advancing and getting a leading edge on an ungainly swipe to point. Pakistan took 11 balls to get their innings rolling and got their first boundary in the fourth over, courtesy Rizwan, but Babar struggled big time. He was dropped on 1 by Chapman at deep square leg and could only manage 4 off 15 in the powerplay as Pakistan crawled to 29 for 1 after the six overs.
With Pakistan 53 for 2 after ten they needed some impetus to get the innings flowing. That was provided by Fakhar. He laid into Lockie Ferguson, tonking him for two sixes before crashing Sodhi for a four and a six the next over. Southee returned and was taken for another six by Fakhar, but the bowler had the last laugh. The left-handed batter failed to pick a slower offcutter and could only mistime his heave to long-off to fall for a 16-ball 33.
Nawaz came and went before Henry sent Rizwan packing for a run-ball-38, his swing across the line only travelling as far as deep square leg. Iftikhar then clubbed Henry straight to mid-off as Pakistan lost 4 for 16 in 22 balls.
Abbas Afridi came in at No. 9 and hammered two sixes to take Pakistan past the 130-mark. For New Zealand, Southee, Henry, Ferguson and Sodhi all managed two wickets apiece.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 134 for 8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 38, Fakhar Zaman 33; Tim Southee 2-19, Matt Henry 2-30, Lockie Ferghuson 2-25, Ish Sodhi 2-22) beat New Zealand 92 in 17.2 overs (Glenn Phillips 26, Finn Allen 22, Iftikhar Ahmed 3-24, Mohammad Nawaz 2-18) by 42 runs
Sri Lanka survived an early onslaught to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eights, leaving Australia right at the exit door and hoping for a miracle.
The returning captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning-to-runs Travis Head were brutal in taking Australia to 104 in the first 50 legal deliveries, but some spectacular fielding and spin bowling helped Sri Lanka take 10 for 77 off the last 70 balls.
In front of a partying full house in Pallekele, Sri Lanka’s two most prolific batters, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, brought out both the axe and paper cuts to slice through the chase. Nissanka, who had earlier dropped Glenn Maxwell and then dismissed him with a stunner, went on to score an unbeaten hundred and take Sri Lanka home with two overs to spare.
In the absence of Matheesha Pathirana, who walked off with a calf injury in his first over, their spinners contributed six wickets to go with excellent closing from Dushmantha Chameera. Australia’s lead spinner Adam Zampa, among the best T20 spinners of all time, took no wicket and was lucky to go for only 41 in his four overs.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs [Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Pavan Rathnayake 2*; Marcus Stoinis 2-41] beat Australia 181/10 in 20 overs [Mitchell Marsh 54, Travis Head 56, Josh Inglis 27, Glenn Maxwell 22; Dushmantha Chameera 2-56, Maheesh Theekshana 1-37, Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dunith Wellalage 1-33, Kamindu Mendis 1-19] by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
A win against Canada in their first T20I against them on Tuesday will firm up New Zealand’s spot in the Super Eight. This result will also knock out Canada; South Africa have already qualified for the next round from Group D with three wins in as many games.
New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far – each time in ODI World Cups. Their most recent meeting coming in the 2011 edition in Mumbai. They have won all three games and are poised to make it 4-0 against Canada in World Cups, despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson. The fast bowler has returned home for the birth of his first child and is expected to link up with the side ahead of the Super Eight. In Ferguson’s absence, Kyle Jamieson, who wasn’t even in the main squad in the first place, is set to make his T20 World Cup bow.
As for Canada, they had their moments against South Africa and UAE but they have failed to convert those into wins. On Friday in Delhi, they had UAE at 66 for 4 in the 13th over in a chase of 151, but they left the door ajar for Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan to sneak home. Canada can’t afford such slip-ups against New Zealand – and then Afghanistan – if they are to notch up a win in this World Cup.
Kyle Jamieson doesn’t quite have Ferguson’s express pace, but can bang it away on a hard length and stifle the opposition batters. He also has some slower variations in his repertoire and his high-arm release could pose a big threat, especially to batters who are facing him for the first time.
Once known as “Vettori” in Canada’s club cricket circuit, Saad Bin Zafar will run into the team that was once captained by one of his heroes. The Canada left-arm spinner often attacks the stumps and keeps it tight, as his economy rate of 6.02 across 67 T20Is suggests. At 39, Saad knows he won’t be playing the game for long and will be eager to cause a few upsets on the big stage.
Jamieson is set to slot in for Ferguson unless New Zealand want to give veteran legspinner Ish Sodhi a game.
New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
Canada are likely to play the same XI that lost to South Africa and UAE.
Canada (probable): Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel
[Cricinfo]
Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana left the field four balls into his first over, after collapsing to the ground clutching his left calf, and did not return to the field during Sri Lanka’s bowling innings against Australia. Having briefly received treatment from the Sri Lanka physiotherapist immediately after sustaining the injury, Pathirana hobbled off the field with assistance from support staff.
He then spent the majority of the innings being treated in the dressing room. Sri Lanka will likely send him off for scans as soon as the match finishes.
“Matheesha Pathirana experienced discomfort in his left leg calf while bowling during the match and was unable to continue,” a statement read. “He will not bowl further in this game. A scan will be conducted tomorrow to determine the extent of the injury.”
Pathirana had begun well against Australia, bowling two dot balls and giving away three runs (including a wide) in those first four deliveries. The last two balls of the over were delivered by Dasun Shanaka, who gave away a four and bowled a dot.
Pathirana is the quickest bowler in Sri Lanka’s attack, and a key part of their death-bowling plans for the tournament in particular. He is also the second Sri Lanka bowler to come under an injury cloud, with Wanindu Hasaranga already having been ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury of his own.
After this game against Australa, Sri Lanka have another group match to play, against Zimbabwe. They have not earned qualification for the Super Eights yet.
(Cricinfo)
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