CHENNAI, India (AP):
Pakistan avenged their loss to the United States from two years ago at the T20 World Cup yesterday while New Zealand openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen shared the highest-ever partnership for any wicket at the tournament.
The US, who gave co-hosts India a scare in their opening game before going down by 29 runs in Mumbai, struggled against Pakistan’s spinners and lost by 32 runs in Colombo. It gave Pakistan their second successive win in Group A.
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan (73) and the experienced Babar Azam (46) gave Pakistan an imposing 190-9 despite fast bowler Shadley van Schalwyk grabbing his second four-wicket haul in the tournament.
The US came into the game with happy memories of a stunning win over Pakistan in Texas in the 2024 tournament, but their batters couldn’t get momentum against mystery spinner Usman Tariq (3-27) and leg-spinner Shadab Khan (2-26). The other two spinners, Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed, shared two wickets.
The US batters looked more at ease against the pace of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who ended up with 1-42 as Pakistan’s tactic of deploying five spinners for the rest of the game worked well under the lights at Sinhalese Sports Club.
Shubham Ranjane made a fighting 51 off 30 balls and opener Shayan Jahangir showed some aggression in the power play with a knock of 49 off 34, but couldn’t force the acceleration against spin-heavy Pakistan.
Tariq, who takes a long pause just before delivering the ball, deceived the US batters with his unique bowling style as he grabbed the wickets of Harmeet Singh and then Mohsin Ali off successive deliveries in his last over.
After being put into bat, Farhan hit five sixes and six boundaries, and Babar got over another slow start and scored at a reasonable strike rate of 143.75. Babar, who is often criticised for his slow strike rate and is pushed down to No. 4, struggled to score 15 off 18 balls before he pushed the scoring pedal by striking four boundaries and pulled a six.
Pakistan lost both Farhan and Babar in successive overs, but Shadab played a vital cameo of 30 off just 12 balls as the US claimed five wickets off the last 10, including two in the penultimate over bowled by van Schalwyk.
In Chennai, Seifert and Allen’s brutal power-hitting in an unbroken stand of 175 saw the Black Caps beat the United Arab Emirates by 10 wickets.
Seifert followed his half-century in the first Group D game against Afghanistan with an unbeaten 89 off 42 balls. Allen was not far behind and smacked 84 not out off 50 balls.
New Zealand sprinted to 175-0 in 15.2 overs for their second successive win in a group that also features 2024 finalist South Africa. After winning the toss, UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem (66 not out off 45 deliveries) and Alishan Sharafu (55 off 47) earlier, had anchored their team on a good batting wicket to 173-6 in 20 overs.
But the target proved too small for the aggressive New Zealand batters.
Seifert and Allen provided a rollicking start of 78-0 in the power play as the UAE pace bowlers bowled too many length balls, which were duly dispatched for boundaries on both sides of the wicket.
Seifert hit 12 fours and three sixes, including the winning six over the head of Muhammad Rohid, who was the most expensive UAE bowler with 0-51 in 3.2 overs. Pacer Junaid Siddique’s four overs went for 47 without any wicket while Muhammad Arfan conceded 36 runs off his three overs.
Allen matched Seifert with his innovative ramp shots and hit five fours and five sixes.
The previous record stand at a men’s T20 World Cup (170 runs) was set by England batters Alex Hales and Jos Buttler against India in 2022.
Earlier at New Delhi in the day game, Bas de Leede’s all-round show earned the Netherlands a seven-wicket win over Namibia in Group A.
De Leede grabbed 2-20 as the Dutch used eight bowlers and Namibia scored 156-8. De Leede then smashed four sixes and five boundaries and guided his team to 159-3 in 18 overs with an unbeaten 72 off 48 balls.
