Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi and middle-order batsman Babar Azam played a pivotal role in scripting six wickets win against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme hit fighting half-centuries as New Zealand posted 237 for six after Shaheen Shah Afridi´s three-wicket burst left them in a perilous position against Pakistan. Teenager Shaheen, who finished with figures of 3-28 in his 10 overs, wrecked the New Zealand top order, taking three wickets in 20 balls.
Babar Azam scored an unbeaten 101 runs with 11 fours.
New Zealand were wobbling badly when the in-form Williamson was dismissed by leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who enticed the captain into giving an edge to wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed when he was on 41.
Williamson, who had scored centuries in each of his previous innings, put on 37 for the fifth wicket with Neesham after New Zealand had slipped to 46-4.
Mohammad Amir was first to strike, bowling Martin Guptill with the New Zealand score on five before Shaheen had opener Colin Munro (12) caught by Haris Sohail in the slips.
Ross Taylor edged a Shaheen delivery to Sarfaraz and Tom Latham departed in similar fashion.
Overnight rain delayed the start by an hour but the umpires decided the match would remain at 50 overs per side.
Here’s how Twitterati reacts:
Jisko koi nahi haraa pata usse humare Padosi haraate hain😎😎🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰
— Prachi Das🇮🇳 (@PrachiNotDesai) June 26, 2019
“Unbeaten thay yar. Kuch to khayal kar letay.” pic.twitter.com/iFR2jq78hG
— PSL Memes (@PSLMemesWalay) June 26, 2019
Hum na hoon tu tumhare World Cup ka kya maza @ICC ?
— SIR .. (@SirJohnRoe) June 26, 2019
92 mai Inzi ko Jhonty ne esay run-out kiya tha. I am dead. #92MaiBhiYehiHuaTha is real. #Believe
— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) June 26, 2019
Yeh Haris Sohail start k matches mey Malik, Imam, Fakhar, Hafeez, Hasan Ali jesay loru players ko paani laa kar pilata tha. Shame
— Ahmed (@AhmedDamn) June 26, 2019
Hum na hoon tu tumhare World Cup ka kya maza @ICC ?
— SIR .. (@SirJohnRoe) June 26, 2019
Pakistan ki team ka sponsor koi blood pressure ki dawayi ko hona chahiye
— Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) June 26, 2019
Win predator showing 99% for Pakistan or yhan 20 crore awam ne dinner nahi kiya tension ki wajah se.
— Kamran Afridi. (@InsanePukhtoon) June 26, 2019
1992 mei bhi mei single tha
— Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) June 26, 2019
Mujhe TV pe Lockie Ferguson ko dekh ke darr lag raha hai. Batsmen ka darna tou banta hai.
— SIR .. (@SirJohnRoe) June 26, 2019
Deal box, 5 kilo sona, 3 bikes lo aur ghar jao pic.twitter.com/lGsUXUxzkM
— Zameer Maan (@ZameerMaan) June 26, 2019
Ham Ko Ma’alom Hai Jannat Ki Haqeeqat Lekin
Dil Ke Khush Rakhne Ko Ghalib Yeh Khayal Acha Hai https://t.co/IAP1oFofck— SIR .. (@SirJohnRoe) June 26, 2019
Ye ICC wale lambi kr rahe hain. Itni nishaniyan dedin hain ab direct world cup de ke tournament khtm krein🤧😂
— Avi shavi😂💙 (@Avi_Some21) June 26, 2019
All credit goes to malik for not playing https://t.co/Pt34RTabci
— Waleed Nasir (@waleednasir00) June 26, 2019
