DUNEDIN: New Zealand secured a commanding five-wicket win over a struggling Pakistan team in a rain-affected second T20I at the University Oval here on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Chasing 136, the home team made light work of the target, thanks to an explosive 66-run opening stand between Tim Seifert and Finn Allen.
Seifert came out swinging, finding boundaries at will before falling for a blistering 45 off 22 balls—his dismissal bringing Mohammad Ali his maiden T20I wicket.
Allen, meanwhile, continued the onslaught, adding 21 runs with Mark Chapman before Jahandad Khan sent him packing for a 16-ball 38, leaving New Zealand at 87-2 in just 6.5 overs.
Pakistan found some respite as Mark Chapman (1) fell cheaply to Khushdil Shah, while Haris Rauf dismissed Jimmy Neesham (14), reducing New Zealand to 97-4 in 8.3 overs.
However, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Hay’s 35-run stand for the fifth wicket ensured there were no hiccups in the chase.
auf removed Mitchell (14) at the brink of victory, but skipper Michael Bracewell and Hay (21) finished things off comfortably with 11 balls to spare.
For Pakistan, Haris Rauf picked up two wickets, while Mohammad Ali, Khushdil Shah, and Jahandad Khan took one each.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting frailties were once again exposed after rain reduced the match to 15 overs, as they crawled to 135 after being put into bat.
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The innings started in disastrous fashion with Hasan Nawaz falling for his second consecutive duck, dismissed by Jacob Duffy in the first over.
Mohammad Haris’ poor run continued as well, as Ben Sears removed him for 11, leaving Pakistan reeling at 19-2 in 3.1 overs.
Captain Agha Salman (46) and Irfan Khan (11) stitched a brief 31-run stand, but just as Pakistan looked to settle, Ish Sodhi struck in the seventh over, removing Irfan as well as new batter Khushdil Shah (2) in quick succession to reduce Pakistan to 52-4.
Despite the setbacks, Agha counterattacked, while vice-captain Shadab Khan chipped in with 24 runs before falling to Sears. Agha’s dismissal only worsened Pakistan’s woes, and Shadab, after briefly accelerating the innings, perished for 26 off 14, undone by Duffy.
The tail offered little resistance as Jahandad Khan fell for a duck, while Abdul Samad’s 11-run cameo was cut short by Neesham.
It was left to Shaheen Afridi (22) to provide some late fireworks, pushing Pakistan to a modest 135 in their allocated 15 overs.
For New Zealand, Duffy, Sears, Sodhi, and Neesham picked up two wickets each, ensuring Pakistan never got any momentum.
It’s worth noting that the third T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played in Auckland on March 21, while the final two matches are scheduled in Mount Maunganui and Wellington on March 23 and 26, respectively.
Following the conclusion of the T20I series, the two sides will face off in a three-match ODI series. The first ODI is set for March 29 in Napier, followed by the second on April 2 in Hamilton, while Mount Maunganui will host the third and final match on April 5.
Pakistan XI: Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Agha Salman (c), Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ali.
New Zealand XI: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears.
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