Pakistan 287-9 (Shahid Afridi 70, Kamran Akmal 67no) beat
New Zealand 149 (Redmond 52, Saeed Ajmal 2-18) by 138 runs
Scorecard
First One-Day International, Abu Dhabi
Pakistan recovered from losing two wickets with no score on the board to beat New Zealand by 138 runs in the opening One-Day International in Abu Dhabi.
Three men scored half-centuries to guide them to a score of 287 for nine before New Zealand were bowled out for 149 in reply, Pakistan completing their second-biggest victory margin in terms of runs over the Black Caps.
After Shane Bond had both Salman Butt and Younus Khan caught behind by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum before a run had been scored, half-centuries from Khalid Latif, Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal underpinned an impressive fightback.
The rebuilding process was begun by Mohammad Yousuf, who made 30 before being run out and after Umar Akmal was bowled by Daniel Vettori for nine to leave Pakistan struggling at 75 for four, Afridi blasted 70 in 50 balls to turn the innings around.
He took Vettori for one six and fellow spinner Nathan McCullum for two more in addition to four boundaries while Latif played sensibly, rotating the strike to end with 64 from 112 balls before he too was bowled by Vettori, who returned two for 34 while Bond's early strikes earnt him two for 61.
The batting Power Play saw Pakistan add 55 runs with no loss of wicket as Kamran Akmal, who hit an unbeaten 67 in 43 balls and Abdul Razzaq, who hit 26 in 20, hit out in style, Akmal taking advantage of being dropped by Scott Styris when on 40.
Tim Southee, Ian Butler and Jacob Oram all picked up a wicket each, Oram dismissing Afridi when he paddle-swept him to the waiting Butler at leg gully.
Pakistan then controlled proceedings with the ball, a superb opening spell from Mohammed Aamer and Umar Gul setting the platform from which Pakistan ground the New Zealand batsmen into an impossible position.
Brendon McCullum managed to reach 21 before he chopped on to Gul, the same method of dismissal seeing off Martin Guptill (4) and Aamer finally got some reward when a loose drive from Ross Taylor (0) was taken by Kamran Akmal behind the stumps.
When Scott Styris pulled Razzaq to substitute Imran Farhat, the Black Caps were in more trouble than Pakistan had been at 50 for four but they were unable to counter as effectively as Pakistan had.
Aaron Redmond played a decent hand, anchoring the innings with 52 in 91 balls before he was trapped in front by Saeed Ajmal, putting on 69 for the fifth wicket with Vettori but Vettori's dismissal, dragging on to Afridi, in the 35th over, more or less signalled the end of the match.
Jacob Oram (9) was the fourth batsman to be bowled via an inside edge and in between those two wickets Afridi had Nathan McCullum trapped in front for a golden duck and after a direct hit from Gul ran out Butler, Ajmal picked up his second wicket by deceiving Southee with a quicker delivery that would have hit him in front of middle stump had his back pad not got in the way.
Gul, Razzaq, and Afridi also finished with two wickets apiece with Aamer returning one for 15 from seven impressive overs.
The second match of three is on 6th November at the same venue.
New Zealand 149 (Redmond 52, Saeed Ajmal 2-18) by 138 runs
Scorecard
First One-Day International, Abu Dhabi
Pakistan recovered from losing two wickets with no score on the board to beat New Zealand by 138 runs in the opening One-Day International in Abu Dhabi.
Three men scored half-centuries to guide them to a score of 287 for nine before New Zealand were bowled out for 149 in reply, Pakistan completing their second-biggest victory margin in terms of runs over the Black Caps.
After Shane Bond had both Salman Butt and Younus Khan caught behind by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum before a run had been scored, half-centuries from Khalid Latif, Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal underpinned an impressive fightback.
The rebuilding process was begun by Mohammad Yousuf, who made 30 before being run out and after Umar Akmal was bowled by Daniel Vettori for nine to leave Pakistan struggling at 75 for four, Afridi blasted 70 in 50 balls to turn the innings around.
He took Vettori for one six and fellow spinner Nathan McCullum for two more in addition to four boundaries while Latif played sensibly, rotating the strike to end with 64 from 112 balls before he too was bowled by Vettori, who returned two for 34 while Bond's early strikes earnt him two for 61.
The batting Power Play saw Pakistan add 55 runs with no loss of wicket as Kamran Akmal, who hit an unbeaten 67 in 43 balls and Abdul Razzaq, who hit 26 in 20, hit out in style, Akmal taking advantage of being dropped by Scott Styris when on 40.
Tim Southee, Ian Butler and Jacob Oram all picked up a wicket each, Oram dismissing Afridi when he paddle-swept him to the waiting Butler at leg gully.
Pakistan then controlled proceedings with the ball, a superb opening spell from Mohammed Aamer and Umar Gul setting the platform from which Pakistan ground the New Zealand batsmen into an impossible position.
Brendon McCullum managed to reach 21 before he chopped on to Gul, the same method of dismissal seeing off Martin Guptill (4) and Aamer finally got some reward when a loose drive from Ross Taylor (0) was taken by Kamran Akmal behind the stumps.
When Scott Styris pulled Razzaq to substitute Imran Farhat, the Black Caps were in more trouble than Pakistan had been at 50 for four but they were unable to counter as effectively as Pakistan had.
Aaron Redmond played a decent hand, anchoring the innings with 52 in 91 balls before he was trapped in front by Saeed Ajmal, putting on 69 for the fifth wicket with Vettori but Vettori's dismissal, dragging on to Afridi, in the 35th over, more or less signalled the end of the match.
Jacob Oram (9) was the fourth batsman to be bowled via an inside edge and in between those two wickets Afridi had Nathan McCullum trapped in front for a golden duck and after a direct hit from Gul ran out Butler, Ajmal picked up his second wicket by deceiving Southee with a quicker delivery that would have hit him in front of middle stump had his back pad not got in the way.
Gul, Razzaq, and Afridi also finished with two wickets apiece with Aamer returning one for 15 from seven impressive overs.
The second match of three is on 6th November at the same venue.
I know!!! Pakistan is a great team and they deserve this win...They are t20 champions.Thanks Shahzad and Abdullah to inform me and others...
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