Confident New Zealand put up much better performance in the second T20I against Pakistan, taking the lead with 2-0.
Men in Green started chase in a low spirit, as both openers returned to pavilion within two overs. Late, former skipper and flamboyant hitter Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman anchred recovery with strong partnership of 87 runs from 49 balls. Fakhar slammed 50 off 25 balls.
Kiwi bowlers dominated after Fakhar’s departure, taking scalps to reduce Pakistan from 97-3 to 125-6.Former skipper continued charge and was joined by his successor Shaheen Afridi joined in the middle.
The duo then knitted 28-run stand, but former was caught by Tim Southee. Babar Azam scored 66, courtesy of seven boundaries and two maximum.
For Black Caps, Adam Milne got Afridi and Usama Mir on consecutive balls before Southee picked the final wicket of debutant Abbas Afridi.
For Pakistan, Afridi remains the only batter other than Fakhar and Babar to cross double figures.
New Zealand set a challenging target of 195 runs for Pakistan in the second T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Sunday.
Finn Allen emerged as the standout performer for the home side, unleashing a spectacular assault on the Pakistani bowlers. The 24-year-old right-hander crafted a rapid innings of 74 runs from just 41 balls, featuring seven fours and five sixes, giving New Zealand a solid start. However, the momentum waned after Allen’s dismissal in the 13th over, courtesy of Usama Mir’s googly.
At 137-2 in 13 overs, New Zealand appeared poised for a substantial total, but after Allen’s departure, they managed to add only 57 runs in the remaining seven overs. The Pakistani bowlers staged a remarkable comeback, limiting the in-form Kiwis to a total of 194 runs, a chaseable target.
Haris Rauf played a pivotal role, taking three wickets in the 19th over and emerging as Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in the match. All of the visiting team’s bowlers, except skipper Shaheen Afridi, made crucial contributions with wickets.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Shaheen Afridi led an unchanged playing XI for Pakistan, sticking with the lineup from the previous match, where they suffered a 46-run defeat. Meanwhile, the Black Caps replaced Matt Henry with Mitchell Santner, who was unavailable for the first T20I due to a last-minute injury.
With a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, New Zealand remains in a strong position.
Playing XIs:
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Aamer Jamal, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi ©, Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson ©, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears
