Pakistan, who lost to Zimbabwe earlier in the competition and hobbled into the semis thanks to Netherland’s improbable win over South Africa, raced into the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup final with a near-perfect game.
This game showcased Pakistan’s strengths. Shaheen Afridi’s third ball inswinger caught Finn Allen in front for his first-over wicket. Their seamers restricted the innings’ final six overs to 53 runs, as they have all tournament.
After restricting New Zealand, who struggled to establish boundaries, to 152 for 4, their openers shone again. Babar Azam hit 53 off 42 balls after being dropped in the opening over, blasting quicks past square leg and smashing spinners. As the two added 105, Mohammad Rizwan smashed 57 off 43.
Pakistan lost their openers, slowing down the conclusion. Babar and Ri Pakistan rule death.
New Zealand weren’t flying at 99 for 3 at the end of the 14th over, but with their middle order’s potency, they could have scored over 160. Pakistan’s quicks bowled efficiently to their fields and were well supported in the field this evening. Daryl Mitchell led the last six overs with hard-run twos as New Zealand managed only three fours.
Rizwan and Babar defeat New Zealand’s quicks. When Babar nicked his first ball, Trent Boult could have bowled him. Devon Conway’s diving glove webbing couldn’t stick to the chance.
Pakistan’s openers accelerated the innings in Boult’s next over. Babar smashed Boult through point, then Rizwan flicked him good and blasted him straight on the offside, taking 15 off that over. In Tim Southee’s second over, Rizwan hit him twice through midwicket and Babar hit him through backward square leg for 15. wan fool proofed the chase. They arrived five balls early.
The spinners gave New Zealand some control, but the pair played sensibly, rarely missing the boundary off bad deliveries. The 12th required 6.37.
Williamson and Mitchell give hope.
New Zealand may have dominated overs 11–14 of their own innings. At halftime, they were 59 for 3, needed to continue on. Shadab Khan bowled Mitchell two fours in the 11th over. Williamson smashed the innings’ first six, blazing Mohammad Wasim over deep square leg, in the 13th over, before Mitchell blasted Shadab over the sightscreen in the 14th. 40 runs in four overs. They scored less after that.
Haris calms Pakistanis
After Babar and Rizwan split, Pakistan slowed down and was uneasy when Rizwan was out in the 17th over, leaving them with 21 to get off 18 balls. Pakistan won the next over thanks to Mohammad Haris. He backed away and smashed a Lockie Ferguson yorker outside of mid-off for four, then sat back to hook him into the stands next ball. He left before the winning run, but he secured the game.
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