New Zealand won the first T20I match against Pakistan by 46 runs at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday. Despite a strong start from Saim Ayub, who scored 27 runs off 8 balls, Pakistan couldn’t successfully chase the target of 227. In the 12.4 overs, Pakistan was 130-4, still having a chance to chase, but Azam Khan’s disappointing batting performance added to their difficulties.
Fakhar Zaman (15 off 10), Iftikhar Ahmed (24 off 17), and Azam Khan (10 off 9) underperformed with the bat for Pakistan. Despite Babar Azam’s top score of 57 runs off 35 balls, it wasn’t enough to overcome New Zealand’s substantial target.
In the match updates, New Zealand scored 226/8, and Pakistan, in response, reached 180 in 18 overs with a target of 227.
In the earlier part of the match, New Zealand set a target of 227 runs while batting first, with Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell being their top performers with 61 and 57 runs, respectively. Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets for 46 runs, Abbas claimed 3 wickets for 34 runs, and Rauf took two wickets for Pakistan.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first, marking Shaheen Afridi’s first appearance as captain, succeeding Babar Azam. Saim and Rizwan opened the match, with Babar Azam batting in the middle order. The last time Pakistan played T20Is was in April last year against New Zealand at home.
In the playing XI, New Zealand included players like Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, and Daryl Mitchell, while Pakistan’s lineup featured Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, and Shaheen Afridi. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, serving as Shaheen Afridi’s vice-captain, was Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the series, and Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler.
