New Zealand win despite Aamer heroics

New Zealand win despite Aamer heroics

The Jekyll and Hyde that is Pakistan cricket displayed both its faces in the series decider against New Zealand. Pakistan needed only 212 to clinch a 2-1 series victory on a placid pitch but their batting combusted in typically dramatic fashion. When all hope was lost, though, there was more drama as Mohammad Aamer scripted a phenomenal comeback with Saeed Ajmal. It was New Zealand, however, who held their nerve to win the decider in the desert.

When Aamer came to bat at No. 10, Pakistan needed 126 runs from 26.5 overs with only two wickets in hand, and people were emptying the Sheikh Zayed stadium thinking the game was over. But what is Pakistan cricket without its twists and turns? And what is New Zealand cricket without a struggle to finish games? Aamer and Ajmal threw their bats around, played conventional and unorthodox shots, and added 103, the second highest last-wicket stand in ODIs. It went to the last over, bowled by Jacob Oram, with Pakistan needing eight runs to win, but Ajmal top-edged the first ball and was caught by Kyle Mills at short fine leg.

Aamer initially appeared as though he was having a lark - a tailender indulging himself in a lost cause. Even when he hit Daniel Vettori for three slog-swept sixes in an over, it seemed a matter of time before the last wicket fell. However, Aamer persevered, cutting and driving Mills in particular, and the game hurtled towards a thrilling finale. The pressure, however, kicked in only when they got close to the target and Ajmal succumbed with Aamer stranded on 73, the highest score by a No. 10 batsman in ODIs.
New Zealand also had their share of batting wobbles. They were in a great position at 138 for 2 in 27th over, after choosing to bat, but they collapsed to be bowled out for 211. McCullum, who hit a superbly-paced 76, fell to a tame dismissal, caught and bowled by Shoaib Malik. Younis then proceeded to suffocate them with his spinners.

From the 18th over to the 45th, New Zealand faced only two overs of seam bowling, gradually succumbing to the slow men. Ajmal confused them with his doosras, Afridi taunted with his sliders and googlies, and Malik tested with his offbreaks. Most batsmen pushed and prodded with nervous uncertainty, unsure about the destination of the spinning deliveries and one felt that a wicket was always around the corner. New Zealand, however, scraped to 211 before they were dismissed in the 47th over. It proved to be just enough.