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United Arab Emirates (UAE) made up for the mistakes in the first T20I to create history at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on August 19. UAE registered their first-ever win over New Zealand in T20I cricket with a seven-wicket win in the second game of the series.
UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem won the toss and opted to bowl first. Muhammad Jawadullah got the wicket of Tim Seifert in the third over. In the fifth over, teenager Aayan Khan struck twice to dismiss Mitchell Santner and Dane Cleaver off consecutive deliveries. New Zealand scored just 37 runs in the powerplay overs. In his next over, Aayan got opener Chad Bowes stumped for a run-a-ball 21. At the halfway stage, New Zealand were 58/4.
Cole McConchie was the fifth batter to fall. He scored just nine runs from 14 balls. Boundaries started to flow when James Neesham came in to bat. Mark Chapman shifted gears as well. He hit Zahoor Khan for consecutive sixes in the 16th over. He reached his half-century from 35 balls. In the 17th over, Neesham departed for a 17-ball 21. Racin Ravindra got out lbw as Jawadullah finished his quota of four overs with an economical over. No boundaries were hit in the last four overs. Chapman departed for a 46-ball 63 as the Kiwis posted 142/8, their lowest T20I total against a non-Test playing nation.
In the run chase, UAE lost the half-centurion of the first T20I, Aryansh Sharma for a three-ball duck to Tim Southee. Waseem and Vriitya Aravind batted positively and pounced on opportunities to utitlise powerplay overs. In the sixth over, Kyle Jamieson went for plenty but got the wicket of Aravind. He scored 25 runs from 21 balls. UAE had 44/2 on the board after six overs. Waseem continued to attack while Ashif Khan played second fiddle. The skipper led from the front as UAE had 85/2 on the board at the halfway stage.
Waseem reached his half-century with a six off Santner in the next over. But he could not see the run chase through. He departed for a 29-ball 55 including four fours and three sixes. After Waseem's wicket, Asif took the attacking role to ensure there is no anti-climax. He finished the game in the 16th over with two fours and a six off Southee as UAE shocked the BlackCaps. Waseem's unbeaten 29-ball 48 helped UAE get over the line with 26 balls left to spare.
“Lot of credit to the UAE team. Anything can happen on a given day in T20 cricket. We didn't learn from the first game. Dropped catches are a part of the game. Waseem has shown for years he is a quality player. We just need to be better in all three areas. UAE were better in all aspects today,” Southee said in the post-match presentation after the historic loss.
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