LAHORE: It proved a perfect series finale, having almost everything in it.

Amid loud cheers from boisterous crowd at a jam-packed Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan kept their cool to avoid what would have been an absolutely shocking series loss to a significantly under-strength New Zealand side.

Though the two run-outs in the very last over — of tailenders Ben Sears and William O’Rourke — bowled by an intelligent Mohammad Amir ended the game in an unexpected fashion, the Michael Bracewell-led tourists stretched Babar Azam and his men almost to the fullest before falling short by nine runs in the end.

First it was opener Tim Seifert and then late-order batter Josh Clarkson who gave goosebumps to the home fans — who were duly expecting their team to at least square the five-match series — as the tourists looked to chase a tough-looking 179 on a tricky wicket that had something for everyone.

While pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who earned both player-of-the-match as well as the player-of the-series award, looked tip-top during his 4-30 show, all other bowlers raised their game just when it was required.

After conceding a four in the opening over of the innings, Shaheen went through Tom Blundell’s defences with a beautiful delivery that moved very slightly away to disturb the timber.

But Seifert had other ideas as the right-handed opener kept playing belligerent strokes. He welcomed Mohammad Amir with a first-ball straight six in the fourth over and followed it up with two fours. The wicket-keeper/batter in the next over greeted Abbas Afridi in the same manner on his very first ball and backed it with a four, giving a clear message to the opposition that he means swift business.

New Zealand raced to 63-1 in the first six overs. Seifert completed a 29-ball fifty in the seventh over, his ninth in T20 Internationals, but was soon cleaned up excellently by leg-spinner Usama Mir on his very first delivery of the match as Pakistan took a sigh of relief. When dagerman Mark Chapman (12 off 12) was bowled by Usama while trying a sweep with New Zealand sitting nicely at 97-2 in the 11th over, it caused a mini collapse for New Zealand and gave Pakistan the conviction that they can do it.

In the very next over, the tourists received another jolt when Bracewell (23 off 21) was caught by Babar at short mid-wicket off Shadab and Cole McConchie (one) was trapped in front by left-arm spinner Imad Wasim on his very first ball of the 13th over to leave New Zealand at 103-5.

The 15th over bowled by Shaheen dented New Zealand further as the lanky pacer sent experienced James Neesham (16 off eight) and Zakary Foulkes (duck) back on back-to-back deliveries. Ish Sodhi became Shaheen’s fourth victim in the 17th over as the leg-spinning all-rounder was trapped and New Zealand slipped further to 137-8.

It looked almost over for New Zealand. But there was one man left in the hut about whom not many in Pakistan and the rest of the cricketing world currently know — Clarkson. Batting at number seven, he from nowhere smashed an unbeaten 38 off 26 with the help of three fours and two sixes keeping thousands at the ground and millions across Pakistan at the edge of their seats.

Usama’s 2-21 off four overs was equally important for Pakistan to sneak through.

Earlier after being put in to bat, Babar and Fakhar Zaman steered Pakistan to a solid-looking 178-5.

Saim Ayub’s struggles in the series continued as the left-handed opener tried to lift pacer William O’Rourke in the second over of the innings but mistimed it and was caught at mid-off by New Zealand skipper Bracewell. Babar was then joined by Usman Khan.

Having got off the mark with a boundary over square leg in the first over bowled by Zakary Foulkes, Babar cracked some exquisite shots including a huge six off the same bowler in the third over. The Pakistan captain then struck fast bowler Ben Sears for three fours — including his signature flick through midwicket — in the very next over that fetched the hosts 16 runs.

Pakistan reached 51-1 in the powerplay as Babar and Usman gradually developed their partnership amid cheers from a near-capacity crowd.

Right-handed Usman, who failed to impress after making T20I debut earlier in this series, finally made amends at least some while making a 29-ball 31.

The 28-year-old smashed a straight six off off-spinner Bracewell followed by a four through square leg in the eighth over that cost the tourists 15 runs. But the 28-year-old was magnificently caught by Bracewell at extra cover off veteran leg-spinner Ish Sodhi in the very next over. Usman added 73 with Babar off 44 balls. Fakhar Zaman came in to bat number four.

Babar meanwhile continued with his impressive strokeplay and in the process completed his half-century, the batter’s 34th in T20 Internationals.

Pakistan brought up their 100 in the 13th over bowled by Sodhi who in the same over was belted for a six by Babar.

Left-handed Fakhar, who made 43 off 33, took his time before starting to unleash strokes.

Ben Sears was smashed by Fakhar for a four in the 15th over but the paceman came back in the same over by penetrating a rock-solid strong defences of Babar with a superb yorker that crashed into the middle stump. The batter collected a 44-ball 69 studded with six fours and a couple of maximums.

Fakhar struck a couple of fours and a characteristic six over mid-wicket on a short-pitched ball by Sears in the 18th over which produced 19 runs. He was magnificently caught at the boundary in the final over of the innings

While Iftikhar Ahmed (six) was undone by Neesham in the 19th over, Shadab’s cameo (15 not out off five) made sure Pakistan get a fighting total in the end.

Fakhar was magnificently caught by Chapman at the boundary in the final over off Foulkes.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Saim Ayub c Bracewell b O’Rourke 1

Babar Azam b Sears 69

Usman Khan c Bracewell b Sodhi 31

Fakhar Zaman c Chapman b Foulkes 43

Iftikhar Ahmed c Bracewell b Neesham 6

Shadab Khan not out 15

Imad Wasim not out 4

EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-1, W-7) 9

TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 178

DID NOT BAT: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-8 (Saim), 2-81 (Usman), 3-123 (Babar), 4-159 (Iftikhar), 5-171 (Fakhar)

BOWLING: Foulkes 4-0-35-1 (3w, 1nb), O’Rourke 4-0-25-1 (2w), Sears 4-0-46-1 (2w), Bracewell 3-0-28-0, Sodhi 4-0-30-1, Neesham 1-0-13-1

NEW ZEALAND:

T. Seifert b Usama 52

T. Blundell b Shaheen 4

M. Bracewell c Babar b Shadab 23

M. Chapman b Usama 12

Cole McConchie lbw b Imad 1

J. Neesham c Shadab b Shaheen 16

J. Clarkson not out 38

Z. Foulkes b Shaheen 0

I. Sodhi lbw b Shaheen 3

B. Sears run out 7

W. O’Rourke run out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1, W-10) 13

TOTAL (all out, 19.2 overs) 169 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-5 (Blundell), 2-81 (Seifert), 3-97 (Chapman), 4-97 (Bracewell), 5-103 (McConchie), 6-125 (Neesham), 7-125 (Foulkes), 8-137 (Sodhi), 9-168 (Sears)

BOWLING: Shaheen 4-0-30-4 (2w), Saim 2-0-20-0 (1nb), Amir 3.2-0-41-0 (4w), Abbas 2-0-24-0 (2w), Usama 4-1-21-2 (1w), Iftikhar 1-0-11-0, Shadab 1-0-6-1, Imad 1-0-5-1

RESULT: Pakistan won by nine runs.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Shaheen Shah Afridi

SERIES: Five-match series tied 2-2.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024