PAK VS NZ - 19th Match, Super 12 Group 2, ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2021

This is Pakistan's fortress. This is where they became number one in 2017-18. This is where these guys have grown up in exile. We might only be four days into the Super-12s, but they are already the team to beat. They have the bowlers. They have the depth. They have the UAE template. Hope you enjoyed reading us through the day, as I, Vineet Anantharaman, sign off on behalf of Pradeep Krishnamurthy, Raju Peethala, Hari Sadanandan and our scorer, Mukesh Gowda. Until tomorrow, and Abu Dhabi, ta ta!!

Babar Azam | Winning skipper: Feels great to win and we'll look to carry forward the confidence. The spinners started off brilliantly, and Haris and Shaheen carried it through. I would like to compliment our fielding, that has carried us through here. I thought we gave 10 runs too many. But this is cricket and it happens. While batting, there were wickets early on and we needed a partnership. Malik showed experience and Asif Ali contributed too. Every match is crucial. There is no easy match. We'll look to play it day by day and game by game.

Kane Williamson | Losing skipper: It is very disappointing. We were optimistic at the halfway stage. It was going to be really tough, we were a boundary or two at being above par. There were small margins, but we couldn't nail it at the back end. Credit to Pakistan, thet are a strong side and were very smart. I thought our bowlers were outstanding for 80% of the game. Quite tough to swallow. We were going into the second half, but this is a very goodd Pakistani side and are a team to watch. It is a game of small margins, we go to a different venue against India. We will have conversations and play accordingly. There were a few good decisions, but there are very small margins in these low-scoring games.

Haris Rauf | Player of the Match - I am happy with the performance, thanks to the team, the fielding unit, they supported the bowlers, the support staff and the fans for all the support they've given us. There's competition in the bowling unit, we have been playing together for two years, myself, Shaheen and Hasan Ali. We talk with each other, assess the conditions and we do get confidence from each other. The wicket of Guptill in the powerplay was the best amongst the four wickets. Thankful to everyone, my family, the way Lahore Qalandars supported me, I'm here today because of them.

21:27 Local Time, 17:27 GMT, 22:57 IST: Again, just to reiterate, this feels very non-Pakistani. They've been very, very clinical, and even in that one rare moment when the Kiwis put them on the back foot, they've dealt with it very, very sensibly, without even taking it deep. And now they're out there in the middle, their entire squad, clicking a selfie. Also let's not forget, there wasn't a lot of dew either for help like the other night in Dubai. Babar and Rizwan started off decently, but it wasn't a flier by any stretch. Fakhar just couldn't get going. And Sodhi with a couple of his off-breaks did indeed bring about a scare. Also Malik was quite scratchy to start off. The difference though were those two poor slower deliveries from Southee, in the slot, for Asif Ali to smoke away, and seal it. Santner didn't help New Zealand's cause with a pretty poor 18th over either. Okay, here come the presentations ..

Boult to Asif Ali, 2 runs .. and Pakistan avenge the boycott. And Asif does it with a very crispy drive through the covers. The dug-out errupts, they know how much this means. They know how close to the semis this puts them

Boult to Asif Ali, SIX, it had to be short. And Asif's ready, camping back in his crease, pulling, heaving, muscling, slogging, deep over cow corner. He's been the difference here, and he's put them on the doorstep

Boult to Asif Ali, no run, full, quick, into the pads, and beating the flick

It looks like Asif Ali is developing some late signs of concussion here after that knock on the head. He's clearly not feeling alright. The physio is back to check on him. Given Pakistan's history with untimely collapses, they'd desperately want him to try and stick it out. Yep, he does. He will.

Balbir Bijta: Malik showing his class and using his experience.

Boult to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, full, on off, Malik heaves across the line, with a bit of an inside-half dragging through square leg

Trent Boult [3.0-0-20-1] is back into the attack

9 runs | 12 balls. Surely it's getting over quickly.

Santner to Asif Ali, no run, full, flat, cuts out the room for a change. Punched straight to cover

Santner to Asif Ali, 2 runs, more un-Pakistani batting. A very soft wristy flick off the back foot, into that mid-wicket two-pinching zone. Very, very sensible

Santner to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, another soft smart nurdle into mid-wicket, and he's happy with the single this time

Santner to Shoaib Malik, SIX, that will be it. Malik dances, gets under the length and with a full straight clean batswing, has it tonked way over the sightscreen

Meet Kothari: Pakistan's and New Zealand's bowling attacks are testaments that it is very much possible to restrict as well as defend small totals. An element that India clearly needs to work on to achieve glory.

Santner to Shoaib Malik, 2 runs, on the stumps, on a length. Shuffling nudge, softly, smartly, into mid-wicket to pinch a second

Santner to Shoaib Malik, FOUR, trashy delivery: short, flat, with lots of width. Malik rocks behind, makes room and cuts it firmly, square of short third man

Mitchell Santner [3.0-0-18-1] is back into the attack

24 runs | 18 balls. This is what you get with these small totals and these sticky pitches. One big hit turns tables.