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PAKISTAN 148/6 def BLACKCAPS 146/5 by two-runs in Abu Dhabi
8:15am - That is game over. Pakistan are victorious by just two-runs. What a thrilling finish that was. The Blackcaps will rue the middle overs where they couldn't find a boundary and lost some key wickets very cheaply. Also those 10 runs off the last two balls from Southee in Pakistan's innings proved costly also. Pakistan deserved to win that match.
Twentieth Over: Blackcaps 146/6 Ross Taylor 42 Tim Southee 5
How is this for a stat. The Kiwis need 17 runs off the final over. Somthing they have never done before. Taylor and Tim Southee at the crease. Only a single off the first ball this over. The Kiwis then hit a four. All of a sudden, they need 11 runs off three balls, and then nine off two. New Zealand need seven off the final ball, so a six would send us to a super over. Taylor hits a four and that is it. Pakistan win by just two runs.
Nineteenth Over: Blackcaps 132/6 Ross Taylor 33 Tim Southee 0
A total of 26 runs are needed off 12 balls here. It is possible, but the Kiwis can't lose anymore wickets you feel.
WICKET: Corey Anderson has to go for it, and he does, but the ball doesn't go all the way and Shoaib Malik takes the catch.
Tim Seifert is now at the crease. Taylor then hits a four. He is going to go for it here. Seifert is going to face the last ball of the over here. A four is six would be huge here.
WICKET: He doesn't get a four, or a six, or a run actually as he is bowled for a duck.
Eighteenth Over: Blackcaps 123/4 Ross Taylor 24 Corey Anderson 9
Shaheen Afridi is back in the attack and he's been very impressive. He's only 18 and playing a big role in limiting some of the best batsmen in the world. Possible wicket here for LBW. Looks like it might be bouncing over the the stumps. The review says umpires call which is not-out. Two balls later, there is a shout for a run-out, but Taylor was safe as safe can be. Then fnally! Taylor gets four runs as the ball beats the fielder. Another shout for LBW, but it's not out.
Seventeenth Over: Blackcaps 112/4 Ross Taylor 16 Corey Anderson 8
I have lost count. When was the last time NZ got a boundary? I can't remember, because the Kiwis need one badly. Taylor and Anderson are playing some nice shots, but Pakistan's fielding is world class and the Blackcaps can't find the ropes. That was NZ's best over in a while, but they need some luck if they want to win this.
Sixteenth Over: Blackcaps 103/4 Ross Taylor 8 Corey Anderson 7
Taylor gets a single to start off the over. Look at this stat, 23 runs in the last 25 balls with three wickets. That is not pretty to see. It looks longer than expected, but the Kiwis finall bring up their 100.
Fifteenth Over: Blackcaps 96/4 Ross Taylor 6 Corey Anderson 1
Blackcaps need 58 runs off 36 balls here. It is possible but they can't afford to lose any more wickets. That run-rate needs to lift by about three also.
Taylor gets two runs to start the over. Three dot balls followed up by a single and that run-rate is getting higher.
Fourteenth Over: Blackcaps 91/4 Ross Taylor 2 Corey Anderson 1
Back-to-back singles to start the over, as they chip away at the lead. They need to lift the run-rate if they want to win though.
WICKET: Colin de Grandhomme is gone for six. A poor decision to run, and he is gone by run-out. What a throw by Shadab Khan. That is three wickets in three overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently bowling for the hosts.
Corey Anderson is now at the crease. There was nearly another run-out there off the final ball.
Thirteenth Over: Blackcaps 86/3 Colin de Grandhomme 4 Ross Taylor 1
Back-to-back singles to start the over for the Kiwis. Imad Wasim is bowling his final over.
WICKET: Captain Kane Williamson is gone. A poor shot lands in the hand of Wasim and that is massive. Williamson departs for 11.
Ross Taylor gets off the mark with his first ball, and de Grandhomme hits a single also to end the over.
Twelfth Over: Blackcaps 82/2 Kane Williamson 10 Colin de Grandhomme 2
Munro hits another four, and he is on fire right now. A nice sweep shot beats the fielder on the ropes.
WICKET: Next ball he gets caught and departs for 58. He was getting a little too greedy with that. Shadab Khan was bowling and Asif Ali takes the catch.
Munro is replaced by another Colin, with de Grandhomme making his way to the crease. He gets off the mark on his second ball with two runs.
Eleventh Over: Blackcaps 74/1 Colin Munro 54 Kane Williamson 8
Another single and Munro is now on 48. Williamson puts his teammate back on strike with and Munro then gets two runs to bring up his half-century. He then plays a risky shot, but the ball lands in open space to end the over.
Tenth Over: Blackcaps 66/1 Colin Munro 47 Kane Williamson 7
Munro edges closer to that 50 with another single. Williamson then gets two more runs off Shadab Khan. Another single brings Munro back on strike. Munro gets another single and the Kiwis are 66/1 halfway through their chase.
Ninth Over: Blackcaps 61/1 Colin Munro 45 Kane Williamson 4
Kane Williamson gets a single to start the over, and Munro follows suit. Three of the next four balls are dots with Williamson getting two runs in there also.
Eighth Over: Blackcaps 57/1 Colin Munro 44 Kane Williamson 1
Shadab Khan is now bowling for the hosts, and Munro gets a single as he brings up 40. He then hits a four to end the over.
Seventh Over: Blackcaps 51/1 Colin Munro 39 Kane Williamson 0
Mohammad Hafeez comes into the attack, and he has five dot balls to start the over. That is amazing backing up the wicket. Munro gets a single off the final ball, but that was gone great bowling from Hafeez there.
Sixth Over: Blackcaps 50/1 Colin Munro 38 Kane Williamson 0
Phillips starts the over with a single, bringing Munro back on strike, and he then smashes Hasan Ali for six, which he backs up for a four. He has gone berserk here.
WICKET: Glenn Phillips is gone as he is bowled by Hasan Ali off the final ball of the over. Phillips chops onto the stumps. He's gone for 12.
Fifth Over: Blackcaps 38/0 Colin Munro 27 Glenn Phillips 11
Munro goes bang and hits the first six of the day for the Blackcaps. Next ball, Imad Wasim nearly gets his wicket, but the ball takes a favourable bounce for Munro. Two balls later he hits another six. I want whatever he had for breakfast because that was beautiful as the ball sails deep into the bleachers. To end the over, Munro hits a four, and that was a very expensive over for the hosts.
Fourth Over: Blackcaps 22/0 Colin Munro 11 Glenn Phillips 11
Colin Munro finds the boundary as a nice shot runs away for four runs through deep midwicket, which he backs up with a single. Phillips hits another four to end the over, and that was great by the KIwis. If this was boxing, the Kiwis would have taken that 10-9.
Third Over: Second Over: Blackcaps 12/0 Colin Munro 6 Glenn Phillips 6
Imad Wasim is back in for his second over. Munro starts the over and gets a single, Phillips then gets one of his own. Four runs in total scored off that over. Pakistan have been great so far.
Second Over: Blackcaps 8/0 Colin Munro 3 Glenn Phillips 5
Faheem Ashraf is now bowling for Pakistan. Three perfect deliveries to start and Munro can't get any runs. He gets the single and then Phillips hits a four.
First Over: Blackcaps 3/0 Colin Munro 2 Glenn Phillips 1
Munro gets off the board off the first ball. Imad Wasim is bowling for the hosts. Off the third ball, Wasim appeals for an LBW, but the finger doesn't go up. Overall, the Kiwis get three singles off the first over.
6:45am - The Blackcaps will be out on the field very shortly. Colin Munro and Glenn Phillips will open for NZ.
6:34am - Mohammad Hafeez top scored for Pakistan with 45 while catain Safraz Ahmed contributed with 34.
6:31am - The Blackcaps need 149 runs to win here. Adam Milne was the best of the bowlers with 2/28. Patel, de Grandhomme and Sodhi all got one wicket each.
Twentieth Over: Pakistan 148/6 Faheem Ashraf 10 Imad Wasim 14
Tim Southee to bowl the final over, and Wasim gets two runs to start off the over. Ish Sodhi then drops a tough catch trying to run backwards. Very poor timing, which could play a massive part in the end.
The final ball goes for six and that is 10 runs off the final two balls, meaning the Kiwis need 149 runs to win the first T20 in Abu Dhabi.
Ninteenth Over: Pakistan 134/6 Faheem Ashraf 9 Imad Wasim 1
There was an appeal for an Leg-before-wicket (LBW) from NZ, but the third umpire said it was pitching outside. It has been a long ove as there has been one leg-byeand one wide in the over. Then Faheem hits a six to end the over. Six more balls for Pakistan to improve on their total.
Eighteenth Over: Pakistan 123/6 Faheem Ashraf 1 Imad Wasim 0
Ish Sodhi is hit for six off Sarfraz Ahmed. That was huge.
WICKET: On the next ball though, Ahmed is taken off another amazing catch, this time Corey Anderson with the goods and the Pakistani is out for 34.
WICKET: Two wickets in this over with a run-out. That was special with a direct hit and Shoaib Mali departs for eight.
That is a nice way to end the over after being hit for six.
Seventeenth Over: Pakistan 113/4 Sarfraz Ahmed 27 Shoaib Malik 6
Tim Southee is hit for four off his second delivery. Then the Kiwis miss a golden chance for a run-out. Sarfraz Ahmed is comming back and is not safe, the ball is thrown to Southee but he drops the ball and takes the bails off with his fingers. If he caught it, that would have been out.
Sixteenth Over: Pakistan 106/4 Sarfraz Ahmed 20 Shoaib Malik 6
Sodhi is back in the ball for his third over. So far, he's been perfect. A clean over in the end with only five runs conceeded by the Kiwis.
Fifteenth Over: Pakistan 101/4 Sarfraz Ahmed 16 Shoaib Malik 5
WICKET: Colin de Grandhomme gets a wicket and he has to thank Glenn Phillips for taking an amazing catch in the outfield. He usually plays wicket-keeper but maybe he should be an outfielder. He comes running in from deep mid-wicket to take the catch.
First ball and Shoaib Malik hits a four and two singles means the hosts bring up their 00.
Fourteenth Over: Pakistan 92/3 Asif Ali 24 Sarfraz Ahmed 13
Ajaz Patel is in for his final over,and it doesn't start well with a boundary to Sarfraz Ahmed. But he redeems himself with three singles and two dots to end the over. He finishes his four overs for 1/27. Good numbers for his debut.
Thirteenth Over: Pakistan 85/3 Asif Ali 23 Sarfraz Ahmed 7
De Grandhomme is back in the attack. A dot and then back-to-back singles to start the over. Ahmed then hits a four before rounding off the over with another single. The hosts are closing in on a ton.
Twelfth Over: Pakistan 78/3 Asif Ali 22 Sarfraz Ahmed 1
Adam Milne is back in the attack. Looking good so far considering he's been out for a few months. As I type that, he is hit for four and Hafeez is very close to that 50.
WICKET: Hafeez won't get that 50 as Adam Milne takes the wicket off a stunning catch from Tim Southee.He dives left and uses both hands to ensure the ball doesn't go to ground.
Eleventh Over: Pakistan 72/2 Asif Ali 21 Mohammad Hafeez 41
Patel is in for his third over. Hafeez hits another six and he is now on 40. He is carrying his team right now. NZ will be desparate to get him out right now.
Tenth Over: Pakistan 61/2 Asif Ali 18 Mohammad Hafeez 33
Sodhi is in for his second over. Will need to be spot on here after that last over. On the penultimate ball of the over, Glenn Phillips makes a great dive to save it going for four.
Ninth Over: Pakistan 56/2 Asif Ali 16 Mohammad Hafeez 31
Colin Munro is now having a bowl. I'm losing count of how many guys have had a bowl now. Is Williamson going to give everyone a chance? Second ball of the over goes for four with Hafeez playing a nice shot down the offside. On the final ball of the over, Asif blasts the ball into the stands with a huge six. That was a very expensive over.
Eighth Over: Pakistan 43/2 Asif Ali 9 Mohammad Hafeez 25
Ish Sodhi is now in for his first spell. FIrst bal goes for a single, and then Sodhi thinks he has a wicket on his second. He appeals but the umpire keeps his finger down. Captain Kane Williamsion decides not to appeal and it looks like it was the right decision. Pakistan score three more singles off his first over.
Seventh Over: Pakistan 39/2 Asif Ali 7 Mohammad Hafeez 23
Colin de Grandhomme is now in for a bowl. He's the fourth one they've used today. Third ball goes for four and Hafeez is on fire today. The over ends with back-to-back singles.
Sixth Over: Pakistan 31/2 Asif Ali 6 Mohammad Hafeez 16
Great start to the over by Southee with three-straight dot balls, the Hafeez hits it for six as he plays the shot over the top and we have our first max of the match. Hafeez hits one more single before the over is rounded off with another dot ball.
Fifth Over: Pakistan 24/2 Asif Ali 6 Mohammad Hafeez 9
Massive over from Pakistan here are they find the boundary rope twice with two fours off Adam Milne's over.
Fourth Over: Pakistan 14/2 Asif Ali 1Mohammad Hafeez 4
WICKET: The Blackcaps have another wicket. Patel swaps ends and he strikes on the first ball. Sahibzada Farhan goes to hit big and Colin Munro is standing out on the ropes to take the catch and the left-arm spinner has his first international wicket.
Third Over: Pakistan 10/1 Asif Ali 1 Shahibzada Farhan 1
WICKET: Adam Milne comes into the attack for Patel and he makes up for his error moment ago with a wicket. Dangerman Babar Azam hits it behind to Tim Seifert, and the Blackcapos strike early. He tried hitting big and it simply didn't work.
Milne only conceeds two runs off the over, with five of his six deliveries over 140 km/h.
Second Over: Pakistan 8/0 Babar Azam 7 Shahibzada Farhan 0
Tim Southee strikes in his first over, but the Kiwis don't celebrate. The umpires have a look and it appears Adam Milne has just dropped it. The third umpire might see it another way, but nope it's not out. Overall just three runs taken off the over, one for a leg-bye.
First Over: Pakistan 5/0 Babar Azam 5 Shahibzada Farhan 0
Patel bowls his first ball for New Zealand and it goes for four by Babar. Two balls later, he hits a single and now Farhan is on strike. Two dots to end the over and after a tough start, it ends up being a good first over for the rookie.
4:58am - Babar Azam will open the batting with Shahibzada Farhan, with Ajaz Patel to opening the bowling.
4:55am - Both teams are out on the field. The match is about four minutes away from starting.
4:54am - Here is the Pakistan XI first the first T20: Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi
4:51am - Here is the Blackcaps XI for the first T20: Glenn Phillips, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (c), Colin de Grandhomme, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Tim Seifert (wk), Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Ajaz Patel
4:35am - Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat. We will bring the teams shortly.
Kia ora and welcome to over-by-over action as the Blackcaps and Pakistan get their T20 series underway in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan have just come off a dominant three game T20 series against Australia, where they won all three matches convincingly.
They also beat the Kiwis earlier in the year with a 2-1 series win in New Zealand.
Lineups
Blackcaps: Kane Williamson (c), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Colin De Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor
Pakistan: Safraz Ahmed (c), Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shaeen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan, Waqas Moqsood
Pre-match banter: Blackcaps look to shake off rust against Pakistan
Captain Kane Williamson hopes enthusiasm can keep rustiness at bay when his New Zealand team emerge from seven months' hibernation to face Pakistan in the UAE.
The Blackcaps have endured one of the longest breaks afforded any contemporary international team, having last played in early April when they clinched a home test series win over England.
Since then the Pakistanis have played 28 games and deservedly climbed to the top of the world Twenty20 rankings, having gone unbeaten in their last 10 series in the shortest format.
That includes last week's 3-0 trouncing of Australia, where spinners Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim were irresistible in the slow conditions while Babar Azam showed why he's the top-ranked T20 batsman.
The T20 series, starting in Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning (NZ time), is a daunting first assignment for new coach Gary Stead, who replaced the successful Mike Hesson in August.
Stead is without accomplished pair Martin Guptill and Mitchell Santner because of injury and new ball spearhead Trent Boult, on parental leave.
Rising wicketkeeper/batsman Glenn Phillips is set to replace Guptill as opener alongside Colin Munro, who dominated the Caribbean Premier League with his big hitting.
Santner's spot is effectively taken by uncapped left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, the 30-year-old who has dominated the Kiwi domestic scene in recent seasons.
Those two additions, along with a handful of other Blackcaps, were involved in a New Zealand A series against Pakistan A to provide invaluable match practice.
Williamson hopes those players and others, such as himself, who were kept busy in global T20 leagues, won't be far off the pace.
"It is an unusually long time between internationals but I guess that makes the guys very excited to get back involved," he said.
"Pakistan are a very strong side and that's something we've known for a long time.
"They're extremely strong in these conditions, their world ranking suggests that as well."
Much interest surrounds the return of allrounder Corey Anderson, whose return from back surgery more than a year ago has been arduous.
The tour comprises a three-match series in all three formats.
AAP
