Rizwan and pacers give Pakistan first win

• Beat Canada by seven wickets

Pakistan got their first points on the board when they beat Canada by – wickets in a Group A match of the T20 World Cup at New York on Tuesday.

On another tricky pitch where run making was hard to come by Canada inserted in by Pakistan managed 106-7.

Pakistan needed to get the runs inside 14 overs to improve their run rate above the USA, but the uncertainty of the pitch didn’t allow them that luxury and they reached it in 17.3 overs losing three wickets.

Mohammad Rizwan scored a 52-ball fifty (2 fours, 1 six) the slowest in a T20 World Cup match surpassing David Miller’s 50-ball fifty against the Netherlands in this tournament.

Rizwan and Babar Azam (33 off 33 balls, 1 four, 1 six) added 63 for the second wicket after they had lost opener Said Ayub for six in the fifth over.

Pakistan’s bowling again set it up for their batters. Aaron Johnson’s 44-ball 52 (4 fours, 4 sixes) was the only noteworthy innings in the batting effort from Canada. He was a bit lucky and plucky but he kept the scoreboard ticking for Canada. He needed some support from the other end which was not forthcoming. Pakistan were decent with the ball and all their pacers finished with wickets. Haris Rauf’s double strike in the 10th over saw him reach 100 wickets in T20I, only the second Pakistani bowler to do so after Shadab Khan (107).

The win took Pakistan’s net run rate to 0.19 as against the USA’s 0.63. USA has two more games against India and Ireland, while Pakistan has one against Ireland.

Scores: Canada 106-7 (20) (Aaron Johnson 52, Mohammad Amir 2/13, Haris Rauf 2/26)

Pakistan 107-3 (17.3) (Mohammad Rizwan 53*, Babar Azam 33, Dilon Heyliger 2/18)