Imam injury overshadows Pakistan triumph

ABU DHABI: Pakistan beat New Zealand by six wickets in the second day-night international here on Friday but the match was overshadowed by a worrying injury to opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq who was taken to hospital after being hit on the head by a short ball.

Imam, on 16, was forced to retire after a short delivery from fast bowler Lockie Ferguson hit the grille of his helmet, making him dizzy before he fell to the ground.

His eyes were closed but he did not lose consciousness.

Team management originally said that the 22-year-old would undergo CT scans and be monitored for the next 48 hours.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later said that scans had shown that the player had suffered no damage.

“Imam-ul-Haq all scans clear. He joined the team and will remain under observation of Team Physio,” the PCB tweeted.

On the pitch, pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi recorded his career-best bowling while opener Fakhar Zaman hit a half century to help Pakistan to a series-levelling victory.

Shaheen’s 4-38 kept New Zealand down to 209-9 in their 50 overs before Zaman returned to form with a run-a-ball 88 for his seventh fifty to guide Pakistan to their target for the loss of four wickets in 40.3 overs.

Veteran batsman Ross Taylor top-scored for New Zealand with a laborious 120-ball 86 not out and added 75 for the fifth wicket with Henry Nicholls, who made a gruelling 33 off 63 balls.

The win also sets up an intriguing final match in Dubai on Sunday (today).

“We wanted to stage a comeback and the team did well to do that,” said Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed.

“We kept them to a low total courtesy of Shaheen and then Fakhar and Babar batted so well.”

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson admitted his team did not put a defendable total.

“A bit of scrapping that got us a total,” he said. “It wasn’t enough on that surface. We were outplayed.”

Zaman punished the New Zealand bowlers with 11 boundaries and had given Pakistan a rapid 54-run start with Imam.

Undeterred by Imam’s injury, Zaman added a quick 101 for the second wicket with Babar Azam who made a 50-ball 46 before both fell in the same Ferguson over.

Ferguson, who finished with 3-60, then had another lucky wicket of Shoaib Malik for ten when a ferocious pull deflected off Nicoll’s shoulder and was caught at mid-on by Ish Sodhi. Sarfraz fell for 13 but Mohammad Hafeez hit the winning boundary to finish with 27 not out.

Score Board

New Zealand won toss

New Zealand

G Worker b Hafeez 28

C Munro c Hafeez b Shaheen 13

*K Williamson run out 1

R Taylor not out 86

†T Latham b Shaheen 1

H Nicholls b Hasan 33

C de Grandhomme c Hasan b Shadab 3

T Southee c Imam b Shaheen 13

I Sodhi b Shaheen 13

T Boult b Hasan 1

L Ferguson not out 1

Extras (lb 6, nb 1, w 9) 16

Total (9 wickets, 50 overs) 209

Fall: 1-14, 2-25, 3-71, 4-73, 5-148, 6-157, 7-177, 8-198, 9-199

Bowling: Faheem 7-1-26-0 (1 w); Shaheen 9-1-38-4 (6 w); Hasan 9-0-59-2 (1 nb); Hafeez 10-0-31-1 (1 w); Shadab 10-1-25-1 (1 w); Imad 5-0-24-0

Pakistan

Imam-ul-Haq retired hurt 16

Fakhar Zaman c Sodhi b Ferguson 88

Babar Azam c Nocholls b Ferguson 46

Mohammad Hafeez not out 27

Shoaib Malik c Sodhi b Ferguson 10

*†Sarfraz Ahmed c Latham b Sodhi 13

Shadab Khan not out 2

Extras (lb 1, w 9) 10

Total (4 wickets, 40.3 overs) 212

Did not bat: Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Fall: 1-155, 2-156, 3-177, 4-204

Bowling: Boult 10-0-60-0 (3 w); Southee 9.3-0-48-0 (1 w); Ferguson 10-0-60-3 (4 w); Williamson 1-0-7-0; Sodhi 6-2-21-1 (1 w); de Grandhomme 4-0-15-0

Result: Pakistan won by 6 wickets

Man of the Match: Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

Umpires: Nigel Llong (England) and Shozab Raza (Pakistan). Tv umpire: Joe Wilson (West Indies). Match referee: Chris Broad (England)