ICC World Cup 2019: Match 33, New Zealand vs Pakistan, Review – Gritty Babar Azam hands Kiwis their first defeat

One cannot ask for a knock of higher quality on a track which did so much. Babar Azam was at his technical and mental best on the day to better the wrath of the Kiwi bowlers, who didn’t have a lot to defend but did a great job to save their side. Eventually, it was Babar Azam and Haris Sohail who had the last laugh as the Men in Green kept their aspirations of winning the tournament alive.

The game began on a sombre note for the Kiwis, who lost Martin Guptill and Colin Munro in next to no time. The openers collectively put on 263 runs on aggregate this tournament, which is considerably below par. Shaheen Afridi was breathing fire after the Amir onslaught in the first few overs and he took over the session once the powerplay was done.

After dismissing Munro, he found the outside edges of Ross Taylor and Tom Latham in quick succession and gave barely any runs away in his seven-over spell. Kane Williamson tried to sail against the tide but he too lost his composure when Shadab Khan dismissed him in the 26th over. At 83/4, it seemed like New Zealand were done and dusted, but Colin de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham had other ideas.

The duo batted very sensibly to get going and kept collecting the odd boundaries. Neesham was going through a test of character whilst Grandhomme seemed a little more comfortable in the middle. Both batsmen completed their half-centuries and added 132 runs for the fifth wicket at a very healthy scoring rate.

Their partnership gave Neesham the confidence to give the side a powerful finish even after Grandhomme’s dismissal. Neesham finished unbeaten agonizingly on 97 with no more deliveries remaining, but he ensured New Zealand got to 237 runs for the loss of six wickets. Shaheen Afridi registered outstanding figures of 3/28 for Pakistan.

Azam and Sohail kill the Kiwi confidence

When you have a bowler of Trent Boult’s quality in the arsenal, you expect him to provide a solid start almost every game and he did so in this one. He dismissed Fakhar Zaman very early in the game and just two balls after the powerplay, Lockie Ferguson dismissed Imam-ul-Haq. Mohammad Hafeez and Babar Azam stitched a great partnership from here despite the ball gripping obnoxiously for Mitch Santner.

The class of Hafeez and Azam saw them through those tough overs and they scored some valuable runs in the other overs from the quick bowlers. After the duo added 66 runs for the third wicket, Hafeez once again threw his wicket away to a part-time bowler in Kane Williamson. It seemed like the Kiwis had a lifeline from here, but Azam and Haris Sohail stitched a dream partnership for the men in green.

They made the spinners’ good work go in vain and targetted the quick bowlers in difficult conditions. The class of this pair kept the Kiwis at bay as they managed to keep the required run-rate in check. Haris Sohail completed his half-century at a sensational strike-rate and with less than 10 runs to get, Babar completed his 10th ODI hundred to a rousing reception from a packed house in Birmingham.

Although Haris Sohail ran himself out courtesy some excellent work from Martin Guptill, Pakistan needed just two runs to win at that point and skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed came in to finish the proceedings with five balls remaining.

Brief Scores

New Zealand: 237/6 in 50 overs (Jimmy Neesham 97*, Colin de Grandhomme 64; Shaheen Afridi 3/28)

Pakistan: 241/4 in 49.1 overs (Babar Azam 101*, Haris Sohail 68; Kane Williamson 1/39)

Result: Pakistan won by 6 wickets

Man of the match: Babar Azam