Champions Trophy: Young century stabilises NZ innings as Pakistan desperately search for 4th wicket – Pakistan

Close calls galore in this over.

Tom Latham had two close calls from the Haris over and things started to heat up in the game. He tried to pull Haris’ delivery going down the leg side, with Pakistan claiming for a caught behind. The decision was reviewed, however, a flat line on the nick-o-meter showed the batter did not edge it.

Latham was then dropped by Salman on the very next delivery after he tried to pull Haris in front of square. Given two lifelines, the Kiwi batter then nailed Haris for a boundary on the fifth delivery. Seven runs from the over brought the Kiwi score at 171 for the for the loss of three wickets.

One question for the cricket experts out there: “We know there’s a doosra. Is there such a thing as a teesra?”

Abrar continued with his seventh over as Young reached 99. An exceptional innings from the Kiwi batter. Five runs from the over brought the Kiwi score at 164 for the loss of three wickets.

Rizwan brought back Haris Rauf after drinks, who gave eight runs as nothing seemed to work for the home side. Young chopped down a length delivery for a boundary on the last ball of the over and moved to 96. A brilliant inning the opener so far brought the Kiwi score to 159 for the loss of three wickets.

Rizwan opted for spin this time from both ends, as he gave Abrar the ball to try and get a wicket. Three dots and three singles end a reasonably good over Pakistan, however, the Kiwi batters look unfazed by it. The partnership for the Kiwi pair stood at 78 from 88 balls as they now eye a 300+ score for their side.

“New Zealand feel like they’ve been here a month, by all accounts. They’re probably not too nervous about the position they’re in. They can use that last 20 overs as a T20 format,” Katey Martin, Former New Zealand wicketkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Amid NZ’s heroism, Pakistani fans in the stands have been displaying a spirit of sportsmanship. As Dawn’s sport’s Incharge Umaid Wasim notes, Pakistani fans have been cheering for the Kiwi batters as well.

Khushdil was dispatched for two boundaries by Latham in his fifth over, conceding nine from it. Three dots and a single bring the Kiwi score to 148 for the loss of three wickets.

From a fanboy who bleeds green in the newsroom: “It’s been three wickets for a while now, Pakistan.”

The bails went flying in the 29th over as Pakistan went up to the third umpire for a review for a run out. However, Young — who has been flawless so far — was comfortably safe. Naseem was also dispatched for a boundary on the second ball with Young looking to score quickly. An expensive over ended from Naseem giving away 10 runs in his seventh over with the Kiwi score at 139 for three after 29 overs.

The Kiwi side continued their strike rotation, gathering five runs from Khushdil’s fourth over. The Kiwi side will look to accelerate and up the ante if the Green Team does not get a wicket. The Kiwi score stood at 129 for the loss of three wickets after 28 overs.

The eight-team Champions Trophy launched in Karachi with the home side facing New Zealand at the sell-out 29,300 National Stadium.

“Pakistan are unpredictable, they can surprise anytime,” said 24-year-old Kashif Khan, queueing in the morning with his Rs5,000 ticket.

Fans were adamant India would have been welcomed.

“If India were here I would arrange a trail of rose petals leading them to the stadium,” Kashif said. “We love the Indian team in the same way that we love the Pakistani team — because it’s all about cricket.”

Sofia Babar, aged 45, was in the stands in Karachi during Pakistan’s 1996 tournament as World Cup co-hosts with India and Sri Lanka.

Queueing today, she said: “I want my daughter to experience what I did all those years ago.”

“It’s my first international match,” said 29-year-old Abdul Latif, whose age matches the hiatus global tournaments have taken from Pakistan.

“I didn’t want to miss it,” he said, queueing with friends.

“We want to show the world that Pakistan is safe,” said 53-year-old Asif Majeed, a third-generation Pakistani who travelled from his home in Britain to watch the match.

“Win or lose, this event will do wonders for Pakistan’s image globally.”

“Everybody’s excited and expecting good cricket because it’s happening in Pakistan,” Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab told AFP.

But 65-year-old fan Muhammad Yaseen struck a far more relaxed tone. “We don’t feel any tension,” he said. “Our hearts are alive.”

“There is also less work as people prefer to stay at home and watch the match,” said Muhammad Arif, who works with a ride-hailing service.

“But I know how important it is for Pakistan’s image, so it’s a small sacrifice on the part of people like us.”

Naseem’s return spell encapsulated Pakistan’s mix of control and near-misses in the middle overs, with Young and Phillips continuing to negotiate the bowling intelligently.

The over looked set to be another tight one from Naseem until the final delivery was punished to the boundary. Earlier in the over, Pakistan had a glimmer of hope when a leading edge off the fourth ball failed to carry — another example of the bowlers creating half-chances without reward.

With Rizwan shuffling his bowlers in search of that elusive breakthrough, New Zealand have moved to 124/3 after 27 overs, setting up what could be a crucial period in their innings. Young continues to anchor the innings, while Pakistan know these next 10 overs could well determine the course of the match.

As Alex Hartley says on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: “If this partnership stays together for another 10 overs New Zealand can get above 300. If Pakistan can break it you would think 250 is on for them.”

Salman’s third over yielded six valuable runs for New Zealand as both Young and Phillips displayed smart cricket, rotating the strike efficiently with well-judged singles and doubles.

Young, now on 76 off 86 deliveries including eight crisp boundaries and one six, has been the backbone of this innings, doing well in Pakistani conditions. His ability to keep the scoreboard moving against spin has been stellar, and with the innings at a crucial juncture, his progression from here could well determine the final outcome of New Zealand’s batting effort.

Shaheen conceded three singles in the 25th over, bringing the Kiwi total to 113 for three. Pakistan desperately looking for a wicket as Kiwi batters are getting very comfortable in the middle.

Salman continued from the other end as boundaries started trickling for Kiwis. Latham dispatched Salman for a boundary on the third delivery of his second over. Three dots to end the over collected five runs from the over with the New Zealand score at 110 for three after 24 overs.

Young began to settle in as he dispatched Shaheen for a boundary on the fourth delivery of the 23rd over. Three more singles came from it as Kiwi score crossed the 100 run mark, standing at 105 for the loss of three wickets.

Vice Captain Salman Ali Agha replaced Khushdil for the Green Team. An around the wickets approach from the all rounder gave away three runs in the 22nd over with the Kiwi score at 98 for the loss of three wickets.

Overheard in the newsroom: “Young is getting old [as Pakistani bowlers struggle to get him out]!”

Skipper Rizwan calls on pace ace Shaheen again because the Kiwi batters are getting too comfortable. A single from this over brings the Kiwi score to 94 for the loss of three wickets. A good over by Shaheen.

Young then sweeped Khushdil for a boundary after Latham gave him strike with a single on the second ball of the 20th over. Young might be looking to settle in as he moves into the 60s. The Kiwi score stood at 93 for three after 20 overs.

Apparently it’s Azhar Ali’s birthday. Azhar Ali hit a 50 in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. Happy Birthday champ!

Meanwhile, here are some nice reactions to consume to celebrate Haris Rauf’s big wicket (swipe through to see them all).

Match summary by Abdul Sattar Abbasi: At the 20-over mark of the Champions Trophy opener in Karachi, New Zealand find themselves in a challenging position after Pakistan’s decision to bowl first under expected dewy conditions. Despite Will Young’s promising start, standing in for the injured Rachin Ravindra, the Kiwis’ innings has been significantly dented by precise bowling from Pakistan’s attack.

The turning point came through Abrar Ahmed’s crafty carrom ball that deceived Convay, followed by Naseem Shah’s perfect delivery to dismiss Kane Williamson for a rare single-digit score — his first since January 2019. The pressure mounted as Haris Rauf, returning from his side strain, removed the usually reliable Daryl Mitchell for 10 off 24 balls. Young continues to hold the fort, having registered his third ODI 50 in Pakistan, but with the middle order being tested against a full-strength Pakistani bowling lineup featuring the returning Rauf, the visitors face an uphill task in setting a competitive total.

Young then pulled Haris in front of mid-wicket for a wonderfully timed boundary. The batter collected five runs from the over to bring the total to 86 for the loss of three wickets.

Young brings up his half-century after dispatching five fours and a six in his innings so far.
A very stable innings from the opener despite repeatedly losing wickets on the other end.

Meanwhile, as Pakistani fans face the possibility of an injured Fakhar Zaman, meme-ers are coping well with an arguably terrible situation.

Khushdil Shah continued from the other end leaking three singles in his second over bringing the Kiwi score to 80 for three. The New Zealand side is again looking to settle their innings.

Mitchell was the next to depart for New Zealand after he was dismissed by Haris, caught by Shaheen Afridi at mid-on. A major breakthrough Pakistan as the dangerous Mitchell departs with the Kiwi score at 73 for the loss of three wickets.

Tom Latham — who scored a half-century in the final of the tri-series — came out to bat for the Kiwis. A double on the fourth delivery and two singles from subsequent deliveries ended the 17th over with score at 77 for the loss of three wickets.

Dawn’s sports correspondent Mir Shabbar Ali says: “The pitch does have something for the bowlers too. And it showed when Abrar made the ball move away enough to dislodge Devon Conway’s stumps. And how Naseem was rewarded for his nagging line and length to get the better of Kane Williamson was an indication towards the sporting nature of the surface.”

The stands are filling up a bit more, as Pakistani audiences continue the age old tradition of being fashionably late. Khushdil Shah was brought into the attack by skipper Rizwan from the University End replacing Abrar. Two singles from the over brought the Kiwi score to 73 for the loss of two wickets.

The pendulum swings in the other direction. We’re getting whiplash over here. Phew!

Haris continued from the other end as the Kiwi batters continued to rotate the strike gathering three runs from the 15 over. Kiwi score stood at 71 for the loss of two wickets after 15 overs as drinks were called.

The Kiwi batters settled in as they continued to rotate the strike. Four singles and two dot balls bring the Kiwi total to 68 for the loss of two wickets after 14 overs.

An update on Fakhar Zaman: He is being assessed and examined for a muscular sprain and further updates will be provided in due course, according to the PCB. Fakhar was injured earlier during fielding.

Haris Rauf, who was away since earlier this month recovering from an injury, was welcomed by Young with a six towards deep square. It was a top edge that went high but comfortably cleared the rope for their first six of the innings.

A single and a wide brings eight runs from Haris’ first over, adding eight runs to the Kiwi innings, with the score at 64 for the loss of two wickets after 13 overs.

Pakistan’s efforts to stop the squeeze the Kiwis’ was ruined by an inside edge boundary in Abrar’s fourth over after four dot balls. A single to end the over bring five from it with New Zealand score at 55 for the loss of 2 wickets after 12 overs.

An excellent over by the Naseem was compromised by not-so-great fielding bringing two from it. The Kiwi score stood at 50 for the loss of two wickets after 11 overs.

“There’s value to bowling a short ball. You might not get it right first time, but there’s a possibility of picking up a wicket. That got to Daryl Mitchell a bit quicker than he expected it to. A dolly catch at mid-on,” says Ramiz Raja on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Darryl Mitchell is another obstacle that Pakistani bowlers need to surmount. He is also one of the steadiest New Zealand batters.

High from his breakthrough, Abrar thunders from the other end as Kiwi batters looked to settle their innings. Three singles in the 10th over ended the Powerplay with the Kiwi score at 48 for the loss of two wickets. An interesting field to start the 11th over from Naseem with a short leg and slip in place. It seems as the pacer will try to bounce out the Kiwis.

Naseem dismissed Williamson on the first delivery of his fourth over after finding some movement from the pitch. A good length delivery moving away from the right-hander trying to defend the ball with the full face of the bat, meets the edge and is caught behind by Rizwan.

A picture perfect wicket for a swashbuckling fast bowler. And for that to be the legend himself works as a cherry on top.

Pakistan’s nemesis Daryl Mitchell came out to bat. Unfazed by a delivery missing his outside edge, the Kiwi batter dispatched an in-swinging delivery at the stumps for a boundary on midwicket. The Kiwi score stood at 45 for the loss of two wickets nine overs.

Abrar drew first blood after he dismissed Conway on the third delivery of his second over as the change from the skipper bore fruit. New Zealand’s score stood at 39 after losing their first wicket, bringing the Kiwi legend Kane Williamson out to bat. A beautiful delivery from the leggie went away from Conway missing his outside edge and crashing into the stumps.

A single from the rest of the over brought the score to 40 after the end of eight over with one Kiwi batter back in the pavillion.

Naseem continued from the other end as Shaheen was replaced, but to no avail as Young continued with confidence dispatching Naseem for a boundary through covers on the third delivery of the seventh over. A single and a bye ended the seventh over for Kiwis with the score at 39

The first bowling change took place for the Green Team in the sixth over with skipper Rizwan bringing leggie Abrar Ahmed on attack, replacing Naseem. A decent start from the leg spinner saw only two runs come off the bat as a wide brings the total to three from the over.
The Kiwis stand at 33 for the loss of no wickets after six overs.

Meanwhile, six overs down and stadium yet to fill up (cricket fans, where you at?).

Dawn sports correspondent Mir Shabbar Ali says: “I believe Pakistan are more comfortable with chasing than defending. That looks like the only logical reason behind Pakistan’s decision to bowl first.

The pitch doesn’t seem to have anything in it. And its not like dew will come into play later on.

A tight over from Shaheen was ruined on the last ball of the delivery as Young dispatched his delivery with a beautiful square drive. A crack coming from Young’s bat as two runs on the third delivery brought the over’s total to 6.

Kiwi stand at 30 after the end of fifth over, pacing their innings with an economy of six.

Win probability is slowly swinging in NZ’s favour as the fifth over begins.

Young dispatches Naseem on the first ball of his second over for a boundary after a full delivery onto the pads. NZ batters are sly and are scoring the majority of their runs behind the keeper Rizwan.

Naseem reined his line in a little, but was still on the leg side enough for Young to collect two. Young then collected a single on the fifth delivery as the opener tried flex his muscles. A dot to finish collected 7 runs from the over, bringing the Kiwi total to 24 for the loss of no wickets.

The over begins with two dots, after which another mistimed shot by Young sends the ball just shy of the boundary as the Kiwis collect another three runs. The outfield has been lightning quick so far, as the newsroom debates whether sending NZ out to bat was a good idea.

Another half pulled shot takes the ball to the covers for Kiwis second boundary of the innings behind the wicket keeper. Two singles to finish the over adds 9 runs to the Kiwis total bringing it to 17 for the loss of no wickets. Scrappy, but effective so far from the Kiwis.

From the other end, Naseem Shah kept things keeps things tight with three consecutive dot balls to Conway, showcasing exemplary control in that corridor outside off. Young then picked up a single with a mistimed flick towards long-on, followed by another scratchy single through the covers that dragged to the long-on region.

A thick inside edge on the fourth delivery brought New Zealand’s first boundary of the game. The lack of timing from the Kiwi bowlers suggests the pitch is not as easy to bat as it seemed early on. Naseem ends with a dot to bring New Zealand’s score to eight at the end of second over.

The Kiwi openers, while not looking entirely comfortable, have managed to move to 11 without loss in the second over, negotiating the early movement from Pakistan’s formidable new-ball pair.

Shaheen Afridi starts the over to Devon Young. There was no run; a classic new-ball delivery from the left-armer. He pitches on a good length just outside off, Young watchfully lets it pass through to the keeper, setting the early tone under these balmy conditions.

Then Afridi bowls to Young, which he puts away for 3 runs, slightly full, driven through covers, not quite timed but enough to pierce the field, but there’s drama here! Fakhar puts in a full-length dive to prevent the boundary, but he’s come up grimacing. The physio’s been called out and – yes – Fakhar’s going to leave the field. Kamran Ghulam jogs on as the substitute fielder. Not what Pakistan needed, losing a key player so early in this crucial encounter.

Now Conway will face his first ball with the score 3/0. Ready for the next delivery as Shaheen runs in again.

Four back to back dots see Shaheen end the first over after giving away three runs.

The respective national anthems of the teams are being played as PCB chairman Naqvi, President Asif Zardari and his daughter MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari are in attendance.

Fans began gathering outside the main gate of the stadium a few hours before the tournament kicked off, excited to witness the Green Shirts perform on their home ground.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir. Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Matt Henry, Nathan Smith, Will O’Rourke

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) and Sharfuddoula (BAN)

TV umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS)

Match referee: Andrew Pycroft (ZIM)