3.3 OUT! STUPID! Kiwis’ early success. This is some beautiful bowling from Ajaz Patel. He got into a rhythm right away. A couple of great deliveries beat Abdullah Shafique’s bat and Ajaz smartly pulls his length back a bit on the third delivery and keeps it just wide. Shafique tries to use his legs to smother the spin but misses the ball field. He tries to defend but again the ball spins past his blade and Tom Blundell wastes no time knocking away the covers. Excellent flight and length of the ball there and Abdullah Shafique was completely at sea. 12.1
71.43%
DotBall
28.57%
Painting shots
–
Ball for a boundary
Imam-ul-Haq
24
38
5
0
63.15
c Tim Southee and Michael Bracewell
15 OUT! CAUGHT! Is Pakistan trying to imitate ‘Bazball’? If they are, someone should tell them they are failing miserably. Questionable shot selection again. Flight delivery, full and on middle, Imam dives down to loft it over the line but gets it outside his blade. The ball flies towards the off side where Tim Southee is ready to feed it into his safe hands. Trying to be too aggressive against the spinners is costing Pakistan at the moment. They are 48 for 3, which could have been four had Babar been caught off the third ball of this game. 48/3
81.58%
DotBall
18.42%
Painting shots
7
Ball towards the boundary
Shan Masood
3
10
0
0
30
st Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell
6.1 OUT! ANOTHER SNAP! Hard to understand what Shan Masood was trying to do after coming to the crease. It spins and he was going to use his legs to smother the spin, but charging a bowler premeditated is never a good idea, especially so early in the innings. Michael Bracewell stays in line just outside off and offers good flight to his delivery. Shan Masood runs down the track to lift it over the line but the ball spins away to hit his bat. Just like Abdullah Shafique, Shan was nowhere near the delivery. Tom Blundell is again alert with his glove. Poor from Pakistan. The approach is questionable. 19/2
90%
DotBall
10%
Painting shots
–
Ball towards the boundary
Babar Azam C
119
186
11
1
63.97
Batting
69.35%
DotBall
30.65%
Painting shots
15
Ball towards the boundary
Saud Shakeel
22
34
2
0
64.70
c Henry Nicholls b Tim Southee
29 OUT! CAUGHT! Another blow to Pakistan. Tim Southee strikes at lunch and it’s yet another loose effort from the Pakistani batter. This one is fuller and outside at 132.6 km/h, it moves off a bit at the last minute. Saud Shakeel looks to drive it but hits it lavishly towards Henry Nicholls at the well. He takes a nice catch and Pakistan lose their fourth wicket. A smart move by the skipper to get himself fit and his strategy to get the drive pays off as well. 110/4