New Zealand Triumphs Over Pakistan, Leads Series 1-0

News Desk

Auckland: New Zealand dealt Pakistan a 46-run defeat, marking Shaheen Shah Afridi’s inaugural match as T20I captain at Eden Park on Friday.

Despite a stellar start from Saim Ayub, scoring 27 off 8, Pakistan couldn’t convert it into a win. The team was at 130-4 in 12.4 overs, with Azam Khan’s disappointing performance compounding their challenges.

Fakhar Zaman (15 off 10), Iftikhar Ahmed (24 off 17), and Azam Khan (10 off 9) struggled with the bat. Babar Azam top-scored with 57 runs, but it wasn’t enough against New Zealand’s formidable target.

Tim Southee, with his 150th T20I wicket, took three, while Adam Milne and Ben Sears claimed two each.

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In the first innings, Daryl Mitchell (57) and Kane Williamson (61) starred for New Zealand. Despite an early drop, Williamson’s half-century set the stage for aggressive performances from Finn Allen (35 off 15) and Mitchell (61 off 27). Mark Chapman contributed a quick 26 off 11.

Pakistan’s bowlers struggled, with Abbas Afridi and Haris Rauf maintaining a decent economy. Afridi took three wickets but conceded 46 runs. Aamer Jamal and Usama Mir faced challenges, conceding 56 and 51 runs, respectively.

Overall, New Zealand’s dominant batting and Pakistan’s struggles set the tone for an intense T20I encounter.