All-round Afridi sets up big win against NZ

Abu Dhabi: Shahid Afirid shone with both bat and ball as Pakistan took a 1-0 lead by beating New Zealand by 138 runs in the first ODI at Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Tuesday. The all-rounder smashed a blistering 50-ball 70 and then took two for 46 in his 10 overs.

Chasing 288, New Zealand were bowled out for 149 in 39.2 overs after Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Khalid Latif hit half-centuries to help Pakistan reach 287-9.

The New Zealand chase never got off the block as Umar Gul set the pace for Pakistan early by sending back Brendon McCullum (21) and Martin Guptill (five) early. Ross Taylor (zero) and Scott Styris (five), making a return to the national side, too disappointed the Kiwis.

Opener Aaron Redmond (52) held one end up and with skipper Daniel Vettori (38) stitched a responsible 69-run stand before falling leg before to Saeed Ajmal. An Afridi double blow off consecutive balls hastened the inevitable as Vettori and Nathan McCullum walked back with New Zealand reeling at 139-7.

Razzaq then joined the party in the next over by snaring Jacob Oram (nine).

New Zealand lost their last five wickets for just 10 runs within five overs.

Earlier, Afridi hit a quickfire 50-ball 70 and opener Latif a snail-paced 64 to help Pakistan recover from a precarious 75-4 after Younis Khan won the toss and opted to bat on a flat pitch.

Akmal gave the innings final touches with a belligerent 43-ball 67 laced with four sixes and five boundaries as Pakistan ran rampage, collecting 107 in the last ten overs.

Afridi, vice captain of the side, was instrumental in initially stepping up the run-rate with his bold hitting as he smashed three sixes and four boundaries during his 30th half-century.

He added 101 runs for the fifth wicket with Latif after New Zealand paceman Shane Bond dismissed opener Salman Butt and Younis -- both without scoring -- in his incisive five-over spell.

Latif, who scored 19 in his only previous one-day in January last year, was also involved in a 57-run stand for the third wicket with Mohammad Yousuf, who shaped well for his 30 before being run out.

Afridi hit Vettori for a six before smashing two off successive deliveries off Nathan McCullum. He hit Bond for a straight drive to reach half-century off 36 deliveries, his first after 33 matches. Afridi's last ODI fifty came against Zimbabwe at Multan last year.

Paceman Jacob Oram finally got Afridi off a miscued shot, caught at short fine-leg in the 39th over to break a repair-damaging partnership. Latif followed, bowled by Vettori's viscious arm ball two overs later.

Latif hit only two boundaries during his 112-ball knock.

Kamran's innings was special as he made full use of the power-play, and added 86 off just 37 balls for the seventh wicket with Abdul Razzaq, who made 20-ball 26.

The three-match one-day series was relocated to Abu Dhabi after New Zealand refused to tour Pakistan over security fears.

(With inputs from AFP)