Ahmad leads Pak to comfortable win over Kiwis

DUBAI:

Pakistan had a comfortable win against New Zealand team in account of Sarfraz Ahmed’s career best 76 not out in the first T20 cricket contest in Dubai on Thursday.

Pakistani openers confident start made chasing a modest 136-run target, set by the Kiwis, comfortable. Pakistan achieved the target in 19.1 overs and with seven wickets in hand.

The second and final Twenty20 will also be played in Dubai on Friday (today).

Ahmed added a quick 51 for the first wicket with Awaiz Zia who made 20 with two boundaries and then continued the good work with a dominating 43-run stand for the fourth wicket with Umar Akmal who made a 24-ball 27 not out.

Akmal finished the match with a huge six off Jimmy Neesham.

In between Pakistan lost Mohammad Hafeez (two) and Haris Sohail (11) but Sarfraz kept one end intact and bettered his previous best of just five in his previous four Twenty20s.

New Zealand owed their total to a career best 37-ball 48 by Corey Anderson after they were put into bat on a flat Dubai stadium pitch.

Pakistan's two left-arm pacemen Sohail Tanvir (2-24) and Mohammad Irfan (2-27) shared the bowling honours. Shahid Afridi, Raza Hasan and Anwar Ali also took a wicket each.

New Zealand were without their regular skipper Brendon McCullum who along with paceman Trent Boult and Tim Southee left for home after the drawn 1-1 Test series.