Tag T20 World Cup 2010

26 required off last 18 overs with Salman Butt (47) & Abdul Razzak (28) at the crease ~ victory should've gone Pakistan way but as it turned out, Kiwis held their nerves better and pulled off a miraculous win to stay alive in World T20 2010. eliminating defending champions Pakistan..

Target of 134 wasn't a tough one but former champions made it, losing Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal by the time power plays finished and then Misbah-ul-Haq was followed into pavilion quickly by captain Shahid Afridi. New Zealand had tactically included three of their quickest bowlers in the eleven today and with new ball, Shane Bond, Kyle Mills and Ian Butler attacked stumps and returned with bag full of rewards.

Salman Butt, at other end, watched 6 batsmen dismissed around him so in the last over, he had the responsibility to score 11 more runs for his team. Bowled by Ian Butler, Butt missed a rising delivery but gave himself room outside offstump to send ball past short third man. Same pattern repeated in next two ball but this time, Butt found point baundary..

Why would you take a single when 3 runs are needed of 2 balls with number 8 at other end? Butt did, probably an incorrect decision made purely out of pressure of the moment, but it cost green team dearly, as Abdur Rehman hit last ball of the match straight to only deep fielder at square leg and New Zealand won the game by 1 run.

Salman Butt, sad, stood at the non-striking end as Kiwis celebrated in joy.

Earlier, Pakistani bowlers had done a marvelous job to restrict blackcaps to a below par total of 134, thanks to experienced Mohammad Sami and Abdur Rehman who dimissed top order batters Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor in space of 5 overs.

Captain Daniel Vettori, struggling with back problems since last match, promoted himself upto number 5 and added 40 crucial runs with Scott Styris. A Hundred on board by the 15th over mark, Kiwis expected to reach 150 run total or there about but Shahid Afridi's medium fast deliveries pegged them back.

Ian Butler was given the man of the match award who not just bowled the crucial last over but also took wickets of Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq besides bowling a maiden.

The scores

New Zealand 133 for 7 wickets in 20 overs
D Vettori 38, B McCullum 33, A Rehman 2/19
Pakistan 132 for 7 wickets in 20 ovs (1 short)
Salman Butt 67*, A Razzaq 29, Ian Butler 3 for 19.
Full scorecard : Pakistan v New Zealand, World T20.

First win

for New Zealand against Pakistan in a t20 international match today. New Zealand had lost all 4 previous meetings with asian giants, spanning back to 2007.