Guptill shines as NZ beat Pakistan to qualify for World T20 semis

Barnaby Read 21:32 22/03/2016
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  • CHANDIGARH, India — Through the vast amount of security, gates and police flowing out on to the street that takes you into the PCA Stadium, Pakistan arrived in Mohali fervent support but did not have enough to halt New Zealand’s remarkable run at the World T20.

    Pakistan supporters following their country’s exploits in India were well aware of the importance of this match as they egged them on in search of a second win of the tournament that would have taken them level with New Zealand at the top of Group 2.

    It wasn’t to be and a 22 run win for the Kiwis now sees them advance into the semi-finals and Pakistan’s tournament hanging by a thread.

    Pakistan were not handed the most fruitful of starts after New Zealand followed recent custom in winning the toss and batting first.

    Their hand was forced into two changes as well with Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Hafeez missing out after injury concerns, Imad Wasim and Khalid Latif in their place.

    Expecting a more seamer friendly wicket in Chandigarh, the teams were presented with the batting haven Shahid Afridi had described his previous encounters as delivering.

    And right from the word go the flatness of the wicket was evident as New Zealand raced to 56-0 at the end of the powerplay.

    Through rather more luck than judgement a breakthrough followed as Williamson drove straight at Afridi off Mohammad Irfan, giving Pakistan a much needed lift after a hazardous start to proceedings.

    That lift was given greater flight as Afridi sent the crowd into raptures by dismissing Colin Monro, the Pakistan faithful revelling in seeing their main man make an impact in his first over.

    At the other end, however, Martin Guptill brought up his fifty from 33 balls in effortless fashion, his wicket growing in importance with every delivery that he faced and loose ball he sent to or over the ropes.

    The world’s most prolific T20I run scorer in 2016 was moving along with ruthless efficiency before Mohammad Sami finally accounted for Guptill, but not before he made 88 from 48.

    Pakistan were showing a kind of fight that has so often been lacking from their cricket at previous pivotal moments of matches, but an old habit was dying hard.

    There was a complete lack of urgency in the field as New Zealand were able to pick up ones and twos at will, the boundary riders and men on the ring seemingly happy as long as it wasn’t a boundary.

    New Zealand ended up with 180-5 from their 20 overs, a big total but one that was achievable on such a surface.

    Sharjeel Khan gave Pakistan the dream start as he smashed Mitchell Santner for four first ball, nearly decapitating Ahmed Shehzad at the other end.

    Two more boundaries followed as Pakistan announced their intentions with 15 from the first over.

    Shehzad followed suit with four from his first ball as the up and down nature of this wicket was glaringly obvious in the early going of Pakistan’s pursuit.

    They were unrelenting, Sharjeel heaving just about anything to leg in typical bullying fashion as Pakistan raced to 51 without loss from 4 overs, their chase lighting up the Mohali crowd.

    Sharjeel was to depart for 47 from 25 balls with Pakistan 66-1 after 6, their chase full of intent and a belief that surged through the stadium.

    As has been the case in their opening wins, however, New Zealand’s spinners began to take control as they slowed Pakistan’s progress with the pace off the ball.

    Shehzad, who had patiently moved to 30, then hauled out to mid-wicket off Santner with a shot that had neither the ambition to go the distance or be kept along the ground bound for a gap.

    Enter Afridi, who smashed his second ball for four and followed it up with a monstrous maximum three later.

    The apparently condemned skipper was firing, looking at his destructive best until smashing one to long off and bringing an abrupt end to his 19 run, nine-ball cameo.

    From the fifth ball of the 15th over Pakistan failed to hit a boundary as their chase ended up flat and New Zealand once again showed their nous and understanding of conditions that now sees them as one of the favourites to lift the title.

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