CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha highlighted the team’s shortcomings after crushing nine-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first T20I at Hagley Oval on Sunday.
In a post-match conference, Agha admitted that his team was not up to mark in the five-match series opener against a well-disciplined New Zealand team.
“It was difficult, we weren’t up to the mark, but we need to regather (ahead of Dunedin),” he remarked.
“They bowled really well, in great areas, there was a bit of seam movement as well. We will sit down, have a chat and think about the next game, ” he said.
Salman Ali Agha highlighted the performances of three debutants and expressed confidence in their potential for upcoming matches.
“We had three debutants, the more games they play, they’ll learn more.”
“The new ball does a bit in New Zealand, we’ve good bowlers and we’ll look to do well in the next match,” he concluded.
After being asked to bat first in the series opener, Pakistan team struggled against a disciplined New Zealand bowling attack and were bundled out for 91, with Kyle Jamieson leading the charge by picking up crucial wickets.
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The Men in Green encountered early trouble, losing three wickets for just one run. Kyle Jamieson caused havoc with the ball, claiming three wickets early on.
Pakistan’s batting lineup collapsed, getting dismissed for just 91 runs in 18.4 overs.
Khushdil Shah was the top scorer with 32 runs, followed by captain Agha Salman with 18 and Jahandad Khan with 17.
Abdul Samad scored 7, Shadab Khan managed 3, while Abrar Ahmed added only 2 runs. Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Ali contributed just 1 run each. Openers Mohammad Haris and Hassan Nawaz were dismissed without scoring.
New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy led the bowling attack with 4 wickets, while Kyle Jamieson claimed 3 and Ish Sodhi grabbed 2 wickets. Zakary Foulkes dismissed one player.
Chasing 91, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen displayed exceptional batting from the start, putting on a 53-run stand inside the powerplay, showcasing their brilliance with the bat.
New Zealand chased down the target in the 11th over, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.
READ: New Zealand beat Pakistan by nine wickets in first T20I