Pakistan batsmen run five off a delivery against New Zealand in Dubai

To see batsmen plundering five singles off a single delivery is not common. But that uncommon sight was witnessed during the third ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday when the Pakistanis were batting. The winner of the match would clinch the three-match series which is tied at 1-1 after the first two games.

It all happened on the fifth delivery of the 49th over when New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult bowled to all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. The left-handed batsman got a full toss and he flicked it down the leg and the batsmen took three runs. The fielder gave the ball back to wicketkeeper Tom Latham who made a wayward throw at the non-striker’s end, allowing the batsmen to take the fourth and then there was a poor backing, which saw Ashraf and his partner Asif Ali picking the fifth!

Ali hit the next ball for a six, adding more salt to the opponents’ wounds. It was one of those days when the Black Caps, otherwise known to be a good fielding side, had a loose show.

Here is the video:

FIVE RUNS TO GET OFF THE MARK 😲

Faheem Ashraf plays it towards the leg side and there is confusion all around. It's all happening in Dubai

Ball-by-ball clips and live blog: https://t.co/D2IfQ6UkEl #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/gosWXLOckw

— Cricingif (@_cricingif) November 11, 2018

Pakistan set NZ a target of 280 before rain intervened

After captain, Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bat, Pakistan finished their innings at a competitive 279 for 8 as Babar Azam top scored with 92. For the Kiwis, fast-bowler Lockie Ferguson picked up his first five-wicket haul to finish at 5 for 45 in 10 overs.

New Zealand were 35 for 1 in 7 overs in reply when rains intervened, and they needed 245 more runs to win the match and the series. But the match was abandoned and both the teams shared the honours for the series. New Zealand won the first match in Abu Dhabi by 47 runs while Pakistan squared the series in the next match played at the same venue, winning it by 6 wickets.

Pakistan came under harsh criticism from their fans and former players after a poor show in the Asia Cup in September. However, they came back strongly since then, defeating Australia 1-0 in a Test series and 3-0 in a T20I series. They then backed it up with a 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand in a T20I series and now eyeing their first series win over the Black Caps in the 50-overs format in the UAE.

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