Kiwis thrash Pakistan by 110 runs - TeluguPeople.com News

New Delhi, March 8: Fine bowling by Tim Southee (3/25) after Ross Taylor's unbeaten 131 powered Kiwis to a convincing 110-run win over Pakistan in the group A World Cup match at Pallekele International Stadium on Tuesday. Chasing 303-run target, Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals against New Zealand in their World Cup group A match. Nathan McCullum removed Abdur Rehman (1) in the 33th over to reduce Pakistan to 125/8.

McCullum also ended Umar Akmal's long and patient vigil for Pakistan as the spinner struck in the 29th over to break the 36-run seventh wicket partnership with Abdul Razzaq. Akmal scored 38 off 58 balls including three hit to the fence as he tried to resurrect the Pakistani innings. Jacob Oram added more misery to Pakistan run-chase as he dismissed skipper Shahid Afridi (17) in the eighteenth over. Afridi hit a six and two fours in his 9-ball cameo.

Kiwi pacer Tim Southee continued to torment Pakistan batsmen as he scalped Misbah-ul Haq ( 7) in the fifteenth over to reduce the 1992 champions to 45/5. Southee earlier got rid of Kamran Akmal (8) in the eighth over after Kyle Mills dismissed Younis Khan (0) and Ahmad Shahzad (10) in the previous over. Southee also struck in his first over to trap Hafeez LBW in the second over of Pakistan innings.

Earlier, birthday boy Ross Taylor slammed unbeaten 131 to lead New Zealand to 302/7 against Pakistan in their World Cup group A match at Pallekele International Stadium on Tuesday. Taylor hit seven huge sixes to go with eight boundaries in his 124-ball blitzkrieg. He hit three sixes off Akhtar's 9th over to complete his 4th ODI century as he raced to 102 off 117 balls after starting his inning slowly.

Taylor got quite a good company down the order as he added valuable quick-fire 85 runs stand with veteran Jacob Oram for the seventh wicket. Oram hit three sixes and a four in his 9-ball 25 runs cameo. Nathan McCullum to contributed handsomely as he slammed two sixes and a four to score 19 off 10 balls and added 35-run stand with the centurion for the sixth wicket.

Kiwis lost Scott Styris (28) after he added 62-run for the fifth wicket with Ross Taylor. Styris played unusually slow inning scoring his 28 in 37 balls with just one boundary before Umar Gul trapped him leg before in the 42nd over. Pakistan spinners Shahid Afridi and Mohd Hafeez struck in consecutive overs to get rid of Martin Guptill (57) and James Franklin (1) respectively. Hafeez trapped Franklin LBW soon after his skipper dismissed in-form Guptill in the previous over.

Afridi clean bowled Guptill in the 29th over after the opener scored a patient fifty to resurrect New Zealand innings with Ross Taylor. The duo added 57-run for the third wicket after New Zealand lost Jamie How (4) and Brendon McCullum (6)cheaply.

How struggled against the Pakistan attack as he took 29 balls to score four runs just before pacer Umar Gul struck him in the thirteenth over to reduce Kiwis to 55/2. Shoaib Akhtar claimed Brendon McCullum in his first over to give Kiwis an early blow. Earlier, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and decided to bat against Pakistan.