On collapses
What to watch for when New Zealand play Pakistan
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Shoaib Akhtar: continuing from where Wasim and Waqar left off © Getty Images |
After looking comfortable for most of the first day of the series, New Zealand collapsed from 167 for 3 to 196 all out, as Wasim, armed with an old ball, reverse-swung his way through the middle-order and tail.
A Test later, Waqar did a me-too, destroying the hapless New Zealanders with exaggerated late swing; Six wickets fell for 81 runs, as a score of 206 for 4 swiftly evolved to 287 all out, amid accusations of dirty deeds involving bottle tops.
Perhaps the most memorable, if not remarkable collapse, ever engineered. Chasing a paltry 125, New Zealand weathered an early storm to reach a comfortable 65 for 3. Then, Asif Mujtaba held onto a blinder at short leg to dismiss Andrew Jones. That was just the break Pakistan needed. Waqar and Wasim then ran rampant as New Zealand were bundled out for 93.
Wasim was overthrown as captain by his own team-mates, and he took it all out on New Zealand. The hosts lost their last seven wickets for 75 runs, crashed to 175 all out and eventually lost the game and the series. At Auckland, a week earlier, their last seven fell for 72. In the ODI series, Waqar Younis took over and skittled out New Zealand twice; 62 for 3 to 110 all out and 142 for 4 to 161 all out, both times at Eden Park.
New Zealand lost six wickets for 65 runs and crashed to 286, as Wasim ran amok. But earlier, keen to prove that they too could disintegrate spectacularly, Pakistan lost nine wickets for 70 runs, to be 208 all out.
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Mohammad Sami: even when Shoaib's not around, there's no respite for New Zealand © Getty Images |
Wasim and Waqar took a back seat while Mohammad Zahid came to the party with extreme pace and reverse swing, sending New Zealand packing for 168 after they were placed at 105 for 1. The defeat meant that Pakistan had equalled the series.
A new millennium, new players, but the same results. Pakistan's fast bowling legacy was bestowed upon Sami's narrow shoulders. Making his debut, the bowler took five wickets to tear through a frail batting line-up, and initiated the loss of nine wickets for a paltry 26 runs. A number of Pakistan players, including Shoaib, didn't play this one.
The first innings was one big collapse (73 all out), courtesy Shoaib. New Zealand then crashed to Danish Kaneria's guiles, self-destructing from 186 for 3 to 246 all out. Oh, they also suffered their heaviest defeat ever.
Before the Wellington Test, Sami engineered what was possibly the most statistically-thrilling collapse in New Zealand-Pakistan contests. 155 for 4 became 157 all out as Sami bowled straight and fast to rip apart a virtual 2nd XI.
The big one. And it wasn't against a 2nd XI. Shoaib continued his love affair with New Zealand's batsmen, bringing about a demise so spectacular, even die-hard collapse-spotters were left breathless. At 95 for 3, with a big lead, New Zealand were home, and almost dry. Then came an assault so swift and precise, it would have pleased the greatest assassins. In an hour of complete mayhem, New Zealand had been derailed by the Rawalpindi Express, losing seven wickets for eight runs. Statistically mind-boggling, this was a decimation, not a collapse.