First Twenty20 international, Dubai Stadium:
Pakistan 161-8 (20 ovs) beat New Zealand 112-9 (18.3 ovs) by 49 runs
Match scorecard
 Imran Nazir cracks another bounday to give Pakistan a solid start |
Imran Nazir scored 58 in 38 balls as Pakistan beat New Zealand in the first of two Twenty20 games in Dubai. After a fine start, Pakistan stuttered to 161-8 with Abdul Razzaq (26 not out) and Shahid Afridi (24) impressing as seamer Tim Southee took 3-28. The injury-hit Kiwis struggled as no-one outscored Bradley-John Watling and Nathan McCullum, who both made 22. Razzaq was able to show his all-round skills, taking 2-9 as Pakistan cruised to victory by 49 runs. Following their hard-earned win in the one-day international series against Pakistan on Monday in Abu Dhabi, New Zealand went into the shorter format without captain Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram. After surviving some early scares, opener Nazir soon ripped into seamer Ian Butler, who conceded 42 from three overs. The New Zealand cause was also not helped when part-time spinner Aaron Redmond - bowling for the first time in international limited-overs cricket - pulled out in the middle of his third over with a groin strain.  | 606: DEBATE |
The hard work of pace bowler Shane Bond (2-17) was soon rewarded with Nazir's scalp before Afridi and Razzaq 24 guided Pakistan to a reasonable if unimpressive knock with Southee also shining with the ball. Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir sent Martin Guptill packing in the very first over, and stand-in skipper Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor soon followed to leave the Kiwis on 34-3. Razzaq then dismissed Scott Styris and Neil Broom and the victory was soon wrapped up after Nathan McCullum's lively 22 off 21 balls was brought to an end. Wicketkeeper Watling made a steady 22 on his New Zealand debut, but with Redmond unable to bat, the Black Caps were a man short and were dismissed for 112. The second match will be played at the same stadium on Friday, with the Kiwis buoyed by the news that Vettori had been given the all-clear after a scan on a head injury suffered during the second one-day international.
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