HAMILTON: Pakistan lost the second Twenty20 international on Sunday to New Zealand by 21 runs at Seddon Park, Hamilton, allowing the hosts to move closer to the five-match series win.
The visitors struggled in the chase of the 195-run target from the start as they lost both of their openers, Mohammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub, within the first overs for just 10 runs.
After two early departures, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman brought the Green Shirts back in the game by forming a formidable 87-run partnership which saw the latter completing a well-deserved half-century in 24 balls with the help of five sixes and three fours.
However, as soon as Fakhar departed by becoming victim of Adam Milne, wickets started to fall and the visitors soon found them 125-6 in 14.3 overs.
Iftikhar Ahmed (4 off 8), Azam Khan (2 off 3), and Aamer Jamal (9 off 8) failed to stay and help their side put up a fight.
Once again, just like the first match, Babar Azam top scored for the Men in Green by scoring 66 runs off 43 runs with nine boundaries but his effort went in vain.
Milne bagged four wickets and was followed by Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi, who picked two each.
Earlier in the first innings, Finn Allen powered New Zealand to a 194-run total as the right-hander played a rapid innings of 74 runs on just 41 balls, courtesy of seven fours and five sixes.
Thanks to Allen’s brilliant start, the home side looked all set to score a big total but things started to fall apart as soon as he was removed by Usama Mir’s googly in the 13th over.
The home side was 137-2 in 13 overs when Allen walked back to the pavilion, but after his departure, they only managed to score 57 runs in the remaining seven overs.
Pakistani bowlers made an excellent comeback in the match and managed to restrict the in-form Kiwis to 194 runs, a total they can chase down.
Haris Rauf took three wickets in the 19th over and became Pakistan’s top wicket-taker of the match. All of the visitors’ bowlers, except skipper Shaheen Afridi, picked up wickets.
Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan (WK), Shaheen Afridi (C), Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, Aamir Jamal, Usama Mir
2nd T20 – 14 January 2024 at Seddon Park, Hamilton
3rd T20 – 17 January 2024 at University Oval, Dunedin
4th T20 – 19 January 2024 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
5th T20 – 21 January 2024 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
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