New Zealand level series with Pakistan

Published December 17, 2014
New Zealand cricketers celebrate after the dismissal of Pakistani batsman Umar Akmal during the fourth day-night international match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. -AFP Photo
New Zealand cricketers celebrate after the dismissal of Pakistani batsman Umar Akmal during the fourth day-night international match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. -AFP Photo

ABU DHABI: Kane Williamson hit a brilliant hundred as New Zealand won the fourth day-night international against Pakistan by seven runs in an exciting finish in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Pakistan went ahead with the match despite calls to postpone it after the Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Tuesday which left at least 145 people dead, 132 of them students.

Both teams observed a two-minute silence and wore black armbands as a tribute to the victims.

Williamson's 105-ball 123 steered New Zealand to an imposing 299-5 before Younis Khan's first one-day hundred in six years got Pakistan agonisingly close as they finished on 292-8 in 50 overs.

That left the five-match series all square at 2-2 setting up a winners takes all final game also in Abdu Dhabi on Friday.

Younis's 117-ball 103 ended a drought of 74 innings as he capitalised on being dropped by Ross Taylor off Adam Milne when only on two.

However, when the veteran was seventh out bowled by left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori (3-53) it ended Pakistan's hopes.

Shahid Afridi helped Younis add a quick 66 for the sixth wicket, hitting five fours and two sixes in his 25-ball 49 but his fall followed shortly afterwards by Younis saw the match swing back New Zealand's way.

Younis, whose last hundred came against the West Indies at the same venue in 2008, put on 49 with Nasir Jamshed (30) for the second wicket and another 90 for the fifth with Umar Akmal who made 29. In all Younis hit four boundaries and two sixes.

He also became the oldest Pakistani to notch a one-day hundred at 37 years 18 days, erasing Zaheer Abbas's name from the record books as he was 35 years and 331 days old when he struck his last century for his country.

Pakistan had lost opener Ahmed Shehzad in Matt Henry's first over for a duck. New Zealand were lifted to the third highest total at the ground of 299-5 by Williamson.

Williamson added 44 for the second wicket with Guptill and another 63 for the third with Taylor.

Williamson, who scored an unbeaten 70 in New Zealand's four-wicket win in the second match in Sharjah, pulled paceman Mohammad Irfan to deep square-leg for his ninth boundary to complete his century off just 92 balls.

He was finally bowled by Irfan off the last delivery of the innings, having hit 12 boundaries. Williamson's hundred was built on a fine start to the innings.

Guptill and Dean Brownlie had given a solid 81-run start before leg-spinner Afridi provided his team with the breakthrough in the 17th over.

Guptill hit seven boundaries in his 78-ball knock before he was caught behind off paceman Sohail Tanvir.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.