Lahore, 15 April 2023 (GNP): Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 88 runs in first T20I. Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, Zaman and Ayub helped Pakistan recover from a rough start as Pakistan lost both their openers- M. Rizwan and Babar Azam.
Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub put on a 79-run partnership for the third wicket and scored 47 runs each. Contribution from all other batters helped Pakistan reach 182 all out in 19.5 overs after Babar Azam failed with just nine runs.
Matt Henry of New Zealand took hat-trick. Mark Chapman led the team in scoring with a total of 27 off of 34, including four boundaries and a six, and skipper Tom Latham added 24 off of 20.
Imad Wasim, a left-arm spinner, concluded with 2-2 in his sole over and claimed both of his wickets on consecutive deliveries.
One of five players who had been rested during Pakistan’s previous series against Afghanistan, fast bowler Haris Rauf, recorded career-best figures of 4-18 as New Zealand was bowled out for 94 in 15.3 overs.
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4-22 was Rauf’s previous highest T20 score against New Zealand in Sharjah in 2021.
Haris Rauf gets player of the match award for his outstanding bowling as Pakistan defeated New Zealand.
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Babar Azam praised his bowling staff profusely for finishing out the Kiwis.
Babar Azam, who had reached a significant milestone of hundred T20Is, remarked, “The pitch was helping the bowlers so it was a wonderful batting performance to get that score and then our entire bowling unit was excellent. I never anticipated this. I vividly recall the trip of first coming here as a ballboy on the sidelines, and it is a great honour to finally be here.”
Because of the Indian Premier League, Latham’s team is missing its top eight players. “We did not quite adapt to the conditions early enough. The result was slightly above-par on that surface. With the bat, we did not create partnerships”, he said.
The remaining four matches are scheduled for April 15 and 17 in Lahore and April 20 and 24 in Rawalpindi.
