Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali cameos help Pakistan bag title

 Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali cameos help Pakistan bag title

Imperative appearances from Mohammad Nawaz and Haider Ali assisted Pakistan with beating New Zealand in the final of the tri-series on Friday (October 14).Pakistan were struggling in the chase of 164 at the halfway mark with the top three consuming 64 deliveries to score 68. . However, Nawaz and Haider turned the game around with a flurry of boundaries before Iftikhar Ahmed gave the final touches to give Pakistan the title.

What were Babar and Rizwan doing?

For probably the first time, they didn't actually click. The two of them hit a boundary each in the first two overs to start off the chase however dialed back from there on.  Once again it was Michael Bracewell's presentation in the powerplay that caused the harm as he previously offered only two runs and followed it up with Babar Azam's wicket. No boundaries were hit in the last three overs of the powerplay as Pakistan made 33 in those six overs. Shan Masood persevered through a sweltering time too before at last breaking the shackles with two or three truly necessary boundaries . At the halfway mark,  Pakistan had only 64 on the board and required 100 in the final part of the innings. Bracewell then struck in his last over to eliminate Masood and Rizwan's scratchy 34 was finished in the following over by Ish Sodhi to heap on the strain. But the two wickets turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Why a blessing in disguise?

Mohammad Nawaz was promoted up the order once again after scoring an unbeaten 45 against Bangladesh the day before. He repaid the management's faith in him by once again coming to the rescue; at the other end, Haider Ali smashed a six off his second ball to get the chase back on track. When Pakistan needed 67 from the final six overs, Haider hit a four and a six which was then followed by Nawaz smashing consecutive sixes as the duo fetched 25 runs from the over to turn the game on its head. That over was followed by Haider fetching successive boundaries off Tim Southee as Pakistan scored 33 runs off just eight balls at one stage to put themselves in pole position.

Does that settle the middle order issue?

It most certainly gives them an answer not long before the World Cup. Nawaz's promotion has made all the difference now for Pakistan, and Haider coming to the party is surely good news. Despite the fact that Haider fell soon for a 15-ball 31, Iftikhar Ahmed came in with an  vital cameo too at the passing after Asif Ali left for 1. Despite the fact that the harm was finished by then, Iftikhar's 14-ball 25* looks good for Pakistan as he pounded a six in the last over to follow through with the task. Nawaz, who had additionally gotten the crucial wicket of Glenn Phillips earlier, stayed unbeaten on 37.

How did New Zealand fare with the bat?

Devon Conway failing to fire doesn't happen all the time. But Pakistan did well to keep him quiet after Finn Allen hit three boundaries and fell in the first over. However, New Zealand will be pleased with the fact that their skipper Kane Williamson got going right from the start. Williamson took on Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah to race to 16 off 5 before Conway inside-edged one onto his stumps. Phillips and Mark Chapman made handy contributions but it was Williamson who stole the show with a classy fifty. The skipper hit a six to race to fifty as New Zealand looked primed to touch 190.

Pakistan fight back at the death

On the off chance that you're thinking about how they just wound up with 163, it was all down to Pakistan's magnificent comeback 

with the ball right at the passing. Williamson's wicket in the sixteenth over was a defining moment  and from subsequently it was one-way traffic. Jimmy Neesham made 17 off 10 however he got back to the structure following Chapman's excusal as Pakistan fixed back the hosts. In a great last finished, Haris Rauf conceded just four runs as New Zealand figured out how to add only 33 in the last five overs that made ready for Pakistan to return with the bat and take care of business.

Brief scores: New Zealand 163/7 in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 59, Glenn Phillips 29; Haris Rauf 2/22) lost to Pakistan 168/5 in 19.3 overs (Mohammad Nawaz 38*, Mohammad Rizwan 34; Michael Bracewell 2/14) by 5 wickets

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