Pakistan thrashed New Zealand by 38 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday to claim their second straight win in the five-match T20I series.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Pakistan posted a total of 192-4 in the allotted 20 overs, with captain Babar Azam scoring a brilliant unbeaten century, which included 11 fours and three sixes.
Openers Mohammad Rizwan and Azam put on a 99-run partnership for the first wicket to give Pakistan a strong start. In reply, the Kiwis were restricted to 154-7 in 20 overs, with only Mark Chapman putting up some resistance during the run chase with 65 off 40 balls.
Pakistani bowler Haris Rauf was out, he took four wickets for 27 runs in four overs. Pakistan now lead the series 2-0 after victory in the first T20I at the same venue on Friday.
Despite being short eight players due to their commitments in the Indian Premier League, New Zealand made two changes for the second T20I, with Henry Shipley replacing Adam Milne and Cole McConaughey replacing Ash Sodhi, whose calf There is a swallow. Meanwhile, Pakistan remained unchanged for the competition.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was absent with a knee injury, leaving captain Tom Latham to give the new players a chance to shine.
The remaining three T20 matches of the series will be played on April 17 in Lahore and on April 20 and 24 in Rawalpindi.
After the T20 series, the teams of Pakistan and New Zealand will face each other in five one-day international matches as part of preparations for the 50-over World Cup in India.
The tour is compensation for New Zealand pulling out of their scheduled tour of Pakistan on the first matchday in September 2021, citing security concerns. However, the Black Caps played two Tests and three ODIs in Pakistan just three months ago.
AFP added: “I am very happy with my performance in this match,” said Azam, who is now joint-top T20I captain with 42 wins alongside England’s Eoin Morgan and Afghanistan’s Asghar Afghan. .
“I put up two good partnerships and then our bowling was brilliant again. We have experienced and exciting young bowlers who gave us back-to-back wins.”
New Zealand’s Mark Chapman scored an unbeaten 65 with four fours and as many sixes but lost partners at intervals after the tourists got off to a good start.
Chad Bowes (26) and skipper Tom Latham (19) put on 44 for the first wicket in 6.2 overs, but New Zealand’s chase ended as the asking rate rose.
“We’ve been there or thereabouts but haven’t been able to finish the innings with both the ball and the bat,” Latham said.
“You take your hat off when Babar plays like that.”
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Azam was the mainstay of Pakistan’s innings.
He hit a six and two fours in the last over to complete his third T20I century, becoming only the sixth international batsman to do so in the shortest format.
Azam put on 99 for the opening wicket with Mohammad Rizwan who scored 50 off 34 balls.
Azam, whose innings included 11 fours and three sixes, then put on 87 runs for the fifth wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed, who scored 33 not out as the home team added 65 runs in the last five overs.
After dismissing Rizwan in the 11th over, New Zealand slowed Pakistan’s charge as Matt Henry dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a wicket to finish on 29-2.
Saeem Ayub also fell without scoring and Imad Wasim was dismissed for two runs as Pakistan lost four wickets for just six runs off 14 balls.
Azam opened the 20th over on 84 and looked set to complete a century, but he took the attack to James Neesham – a boundary off the last ball of the over to reach his ninth century in all T20 cricket. .
Only West Indies’ Chris Gayle has scored more centuries in the format with 22, while India’s Rohit Sharma tops the T20I chart with four centuries.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicket), Fakhar Zaman, Saeem Ayub, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan
New Zealand: Tom Latham (C&W), Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Richan Ravindra, Cole McConchie, Henry Shipley, Matt Henry, Ben Lister
