Pakistan (135/5) defeat New Zealand (134/8) by five wickets in a close finish at Sharjah

[Smbhayi]

Poor choice of shot by Wasim, and out.

 

[Nado_]

Why would you play that shot man

 

[Major]

Its down to asif ali

 

[silentkiller187]

Down to asif shadab or Hassan now

 

[Anwar_194]

This match is gone. Middle order exposed.

 

[Colorblind Genius]

Asif was perhaps the right person to send in instead of Imad, while the spinners were on.
Asif can't play pacers. And that's exactly why Haider Ali is a better and more versatile option in the batting line.

 

[uzairmanzoor13]

He’s played that shot numerous times should have stopped trying. Eventually falls to it. That’s extremely poor tbh.

 

[Rana]

No Asif will need 5 balls to get going as well

 

[QalandarFan]

Smfh Imad good for one boundary.

 

[msb314]

Why does Imad play this stupid shot.

 

[Nado_]

Just send Hassan in to go all out

 

[sam_ahm]

Can Asif Ali come off for once? Let's see.

 

[Amjid Javed]

what the hell was that from imad?

 

[Major]

We threw this match away by playing awful cricket.

 

[iRfaN_LA]

This is good guys, middle and lower order need to be tested. If we win it from here, we are in solid shape for future games.

Asif Ali and Malik have to step up.

 

[UzmanBeast]

Poor shot selection.

We need the momentum here.

 

[nam]

It will be down to selectors faith now if we can pull this through.. our best finisher chacha Iffti wasnt picked in the squad for this guy..

 

[mosh101]

What was he thinking playing that shot?

 

[imshally81]

Four

 

[badsha001]

kick this guy out of the team for trying to get out twice in that over and succeeding 2nd time.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Why does Imad keep trying this switch hit when he’s failed multiple times?

 

[sweep_shot]

Strange shot selection from Imad.

That looked ugly.

 

[Nado_]

Should’ve just sent Hassan in man

 

[neonoir]

The reverse paddle sweep has been his downfall he looked so uncomfortable out there. Here comes hack ali

 

[silentkiller187]

Common asif shot yaar

 

[PakistanMeriJaan]

Why play the switch hit when you know you can’t play it to save your life ?

 

[QalandarFan]

Why does he keep tryna play those damn reverse sweeps?? You not AB De Villiers

 

[hamzie]

asif ali to lead us to victory

 

[JaDed]

four good over irrespective

 

[Rana]

We need the home crowd

They are pin drop silent. Kiwis feeling right at home

 

[Major]

Come on asif teaxh them how to hit

 

[uzairmanzoor13]

Asif Ali - the hero we deserve?

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan need 44 runs in 30 balls.

This is a game which will go down the wire

 

[mosh101]

Boundary to get off the mark for Asif

Shabash boys

 

[Smbhayi]

First ball four by Asif..

 

[Rana]

Malik has had enough time

 

[pakistanisgreat]

Common

 

[shamaan]

Big innings for asif required

 

[cricketInsight]

Nawaz is a better pick than Imad as a batting option. I would argue that is also true for bowling too on these pitches.

 

[QalandarFan]

Asif Ali!!

 

[silentkiller187]

Asif need to take on Sodhi now

 

[t_kaay]

malik to take sodhi on this over

 

[sweep_shot]

44 runs are needed from 30 balls. 5 wickets in hand.

Can go either way.

 

[UzmanBeast]

The difference is that India's fielding was complacent, New Zealand's fielding has not. They have kept us in a cage.

We need the momentum and we need smart cricket here.

 

[PakistanMeriJaan]

Asif Ali ain’t gonna stay for long. Sohaib Malik has only played 9 deliveries ?!

 

[ExpressPacer]

Sunil Gavaskar sahi anti Pakistan mode mei hai

 

[QalandarFan]

Why is everyone acting like 9/over from the last 5 overs is impossible lmao.

 

[Rana]

We need 2 sixes from Malik in this over

 

[pakistanisgreat]

Can asif do it

 

[sindhiboy]

watching malik bat is annoying

 

[Rana]

Malik useless!!!

 

[QalandarFan]

Malik needs to smash Sodhi, spinners are his bread and butter.

 

[pakistanisgreat]

Malik not connecting

 

[uzairmanzoor13]

All that experience... still Malik can’t win this for us.

 

[ssuhaide]

Malik has no power and looks exhausted

 

[imshally81]

444

Yess

 

[Major]

Malik good hit

 

[Mahee]

man pakistan has so much depth in their batting....a batsman like Asif Ali coming in at No.7 speaks of something....

 

[silentkiller187]

About time Malik scrapped a boundary get one more

 

[world cup captain]

Need a big one to relieve the pressure. As I type, Malik hits a boundary.

 

[hamzie]

cmon boizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[t_kaay]

maliks experience will take us home

 

[Major]

Malik is an ugly batsmen

 

[Rana]

Missing easy boundary balls is Malik

 

[pakistanisgreat]

37 in 24

 

[silentkiller187]

We need a huge over next up anything over 10 in last over we gonna lose

 

[realitygaf]

can you imagine the embarrassment if Pakistan lose the game after holding them to under 140 , this after Pakistan went all hoo haa on New Zealand and that we will show them in the World Cup? Will bring Pak fans and team right down to earth after beating India comprehensively

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan need 37 runs in 24 balls.

Sodhi bowled out here

 

[sweep_shot]

38 runs are needed from 25 balls.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Need a 15 run over in next 2 overs.

 

[world cup captain]

A bit disappointing there from Malik. Two deliveries on the leg stump that he missed out on. Need to cash in on those.

 

[t_kaay]

37 off 24, should be gettable in t20

 

[Bewal Express]

NZ fielding has already made that 135 look like 155

They always do.

 

[Nado_]

Southee the old fox back in

 

[pakistanisgreat]

Need to get 6 or 7 here

 

[PakistanMeriJaan]

Shoaib ‘bandana’ Malik needs to step up

 

[QalandarFan]

Need 12+ from one of these next two overs

 

[srh]

New Zealand has much better bowling attack than India.

 

[sweep_shot]

4 overs are left.

1 from Santner. 1 from Southee. 1 from Neesham. 1 from Boult.

 

[imshally81]

666