New Zealand win second T20I as Pakistan crumbles early

DUNEDIN: Pakistan fell short once again in the shortened second T20I of the five-match series on Tuesday. New Zealand’s bowlers dismantled the men in green’s batting line-up, before Tim Seifert and Finn Allen put together a couple great knocks to put the game out of Pakistan’s grasp.

Pakistan’s Innings

Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz was dismissed in the very first over for a duck, as Jacob Duffy found the early breakthrough. His delivery found the outside edge of Nawaz’s delivery after the Pakistani batter swung wildly, sending the ball to backward point where Mark Chapman took the catch.

Not long after, in the third over, Mohammad Haris was dismissed. This time it was Duffy taking the catch, on the very first delivery from Ben Sears. It was another thick outside edge that sent the ball towards the ropes for the catch. Haris only managed to make 11 runs off 10 deliveries.

Pakistan suffered their third dismissal in the seventh over. It was Irfan Khan who was caught out by Sears, on a delivery from Ish Sodhi that found the top edge of Irfan’s bat, sending the ball to short third man for the catch. Ifran also only managed to make 11 runs. Sodhi would take his second wicket of the match in the very same over, sending off Khushdil Shah who had only made two runs. Shah was caught behind by Mitchell Hay, but the umpire didn’t seem to agree. However, Bracewell reviewed and UltraEdge confirmed the fall of Pakistan’s fourth wicket.

Pakistan skipper Salman Agha was the next to go. He fell just four runs short of scoring a half century, but his 46 was still the highest score of the match. Agha was dismissed on a delivery from Sears that he hit to deep mid-wicket, where Chapman was ready to take his second catch of the day.

In the 12th over, Pakistan lost Shadab Khan, as Duffy took his second wicket after a lacklustre swivel pull sent the ball to long on where Mitchell took the catch. Shadab made the second highest score for Pakistan, scoring 26 runs off the 14 deliveries he faced. In the following over, Pakistan lost both Jahandad Khan and Abdul Samad. James Neesham took the two wickets, dismissing Jahandad first for a duck as he was caught out by Zakary Foukles at extra cover, and Samad second for 11 runs as he was caught out by Mitchell at mid-off.  

Haris Rauf, who scored one run, was run out on the very last ball of the innings in the 15th over. Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed 22 off 14 balls, hitting two fours and one six in the process, helping Pakistan to reach their innings total of 135.

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New Zealand’s Innings

The Kiwis got off to a much better start. Opener Tim Seifert scored a quick 45 runs off 22 deliveries, including three fours and five sixes, before he was caught out by Shaheen on a delivery from Mohammad Ali in the fifth over. Similarly, Finn Allen scored a brisk 28 off 16, also hitting five sixes as well as one four, before he was sent off in the seventh over via lbw on a delivery from Jahandad.

Pakistan had a breakthrough in the next over, dismissing Mark Chapman who scored a single run on the sixth delivery he faced. It was Jahandad taking the catch near the boundary on a delivery from Khushdil Shah. The men in green applied more pressure in the ninth over, dismissing James Neesham on the fourth delivery he faced. The Kiwi all-rounder made five runs before Abdul Samad made an incredible catch off a delivery from Haris Rauf.

Another wicket would fall on the last ball of the 13th over, as Daryl Mitchell was caught out by Shadab Khan, giving Rauf his second wicket of the day. However, the damage done by New Zealand’s openers was too much for Pakistan to overcome. The game ended on the first ball of the next over, as Bracewell hit a four, completing the chase.

New Zealand now have a two-game lead in the five match T20I series. Another win in the third match, scheduled for Friday March 21, will seal the series.

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