Batter Tim Seifert’s half-century and pacer Tim Southee’s brilliant bowling opened New Zealand’s three-match Twenty20 series with a 19-run win over the United Arab Emirates. The Kiwis scored 155 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs. In response, Emirates innings stopped at 136 runs.
After winning the toss in Dubai, Chad Bowes returned to bat on the first ball. Another opener Scheffert gave the team 51 runs in the power play despite losing his teammate. After completing his fifty in 30 balls, Seifert returned to 55 runs in 34 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes.
New Zealand lost the fifth wicket for 85 runs when Mark Chapman 15 and Mitchell Santner stopped for 2 runs in the middle order. In the end, James Neesham scored 25 off 22 balls, Cole Mackonzie scored 31 off 24 balls and Rachin Ravindra scored 21 off 11 balls.
Mohammad Wasim was dismissed on the first ball chasing the run. Vritya, who dropped to number three, returned Arvind for 13 runs. Opener Arianash Sharma, who came down to play the debut match, kept the UAE in the fight by making a 26-ball 47-run partnership with Asif Khan for the third wicket. The hosts collected 59 runs in the power play.
Santner returned Asif for 13 runs in the seventh over. Later, New Zealand sent away Anush Tandon for 12 runs and Basil for 5 runs and kept the hosts under pressure. At the other end, Arianash scored his first T20 half-century to keep the UAE in the fight. After completing his fifty, he scored 60 runs off 43 balls.
Southee became the man of the match with 5 wickets for 25 runs in 4 overs. Southi took 5 wickets in the innings for the second time in T20. Southee is breathing down Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan’s neck for taking the highest wicket in this format.
(18 August/MM)