Pakistan and New Zealand met on the cricket ground on Tuesday, the first time the two sides took on each other since the Kiwis’ last-minute withdrawal from their tour of Pakistan last month citing ‘security threats’. As Pakistan handed New Zealand their maiden defeat at the ICC T20 World Cup, the Pakistani crowd at the stadium chants ‘security’.
Pakistan continued its dominance in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup after Babar Azam’s men made it two in two after defeating New Zealand by five wickets in Sharjah.
First, Haris Rauf led the bowling attack to restrict the Kiwis for a sub-par 134, then Shoaib Malik and Asif Ali rose to the occasion adding crucial 48 runs for the sixth-wicket partnership helping the Men in Green register a thumping win with eight deliveries to spare.
The win turned the bitter memories into a sweet one as fans from Pakistan did not shy away from taking digs at the New Zealanders. They reminded the Kiwis about the so-called ‘security concerns’ that they had cited as the reason for canceling the Pakistan tour last month.
The New Zealand cricket team abandoned their first-ever tour of Pakistan in 18 years moments ahead of the first ODI contest in September owing to security concerns. Subsequently, the Pakistan Cricket Board had issued a statement saying they were willing to continue with the series. The Prime Ministers of both the nation had spoken regarding the security in place for the Black Caps.
Naturally, the Pakistani cricket fans and notable figures were left furious. They waited in much anticipation for the two teams to clash at the World Cup. On Tuesday, Pakistan got to avenge the abandoned series in the best way possible by defeating the Black Caps on the field.
‘Security Security!’
As Pakistan bagged another victory and handed New Zealand their first defeat, Pakistanis did not miss the opportunity to go hard at the Kiwi players. The Pakistani crowd at the stadium chants “Security security” at the top of their voices as the Kiwi and Pakistani players shook their hands after the game.
The Men in Green are now in a comfortable position after topping their group by beating two of the most competitive teams. In their first match, the Men in Green beat their arch-rivals India comprehensively by a 10-wicket margin. They later came back to haunt the Kiwis by winning the game by 5 wickets.
Touchwood! Pakistan looks all set to confirm a top-four finish in the ICC T20 World Cup. It will next face Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia. While the Green Shirts have certainly raised our hopes, we have our fingers crossed that it continues being victorious!
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