Sensational Shaheen cuts through New Zealand

ABU DHABI: Left-arm paceman Shaheen Afridi claimed four wickets to help Pakistan restrict New Zealand to 209-9 in the second One-day International (ODI) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Friday.

The young fast bowler took 4-38 in nine overs to rattle the visitors after they had won the toss and elected to bat. Shaheen was ably supported by the spin duo of Mohammad Hafeez (1-31) and Shadab Khan (1-25).

For New Zealand, former skipper Ross Taylor put up a lone resistance, scoring an unbeaten 86 off 120 balls. Henry Nicholls supported him well with a 63-ball 33-run knock.New Zealand lost opener Colin Munro to Shaheen for 13 in the second over of the match followed by the dismissal of Kane Williamson (2), who was run out at the non-striker’s end when Shaheen got a touch off George Walker’s straight drive on to the stumps.

Hafeez then bowled Worker in the 15th over after he scored 28 off 50 balls. Tom Latham was castled by Shaheen in the next over to left New Zealand reeling at 73-4.Taylor and Nicholls then revived New Zealand with a 75-run partnership, but that took 21.1 overs for the duo to conjure up the runs as Pakistan spinners kept a check on the run-rate.

Hasan Ali knocked over Nicholls –- who tried to break the shackles –- in the 38th over.Tim Southee and Ish Sodhi hung around for a bit scoring 13 runs each as Taylor notched up his 43rd ODI fifty.

Shaheen was called upon to return in the death overs. He was positively measly in his lines and lengths and dismissed both Sodhi and Southee.Taylor could find neither enough of the strike nor the timing at the end for a sparkling finish, but 32 off the last four overs still took New Zealand past 200.