NZ vs PAK Scorecard, 1st T20I Highlights: Daryl Mitchell, Tim Southee Power New Zealand To Big Win Over Pakistan

New Zealand, on Friday (January 12), beat Pakistan by 46 runs in the first T20I to take the lead in the five-match NZ vs PAK T20I series. Asked to bat first, the Black Caps piled up a huge total of 226 for 8 in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 180.

NZ vs PAK: Pakistan’s innings

Highly-rated opener Saim Ayub gave Pakistan a solid start by smashing 27 runs off just 8 balls with the help of 2 fours and 3 sixes. His promising knock came to an end in an unfortunate manner after he was run out following a miscommunication with Mohammad Rizwan.

Sharp work from Adam Milne off his own bowling and Saim Ayub is run-out for 27. Follow play LIVE and free in NZ on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ ? or @SENZ_Radio ? LIVE scoring | https://t.co/zy0e6BQNfN #NZvPAK #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/SY9g96EFIS

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 12, 2024

Rizwan looked in good touch too but he could not convert his start either and departed after scoring 25 off 14 balls. At the end of the powerplay, Pakistan were on 64 for 2. Fakhar Zaman (15) also failed to score big before Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed steadied the ship with a 40-run stand.

Pakistan’s innings, however, never really got the impetus as they kept losing wickets at crucial junctures. While Babar remained firm at one end, his partners failed to keep their wickets safe. And when Babar was dismissed by Ben Sears in the 17th over, it looked all over for the tourists.

Pakistan were on 173 for 7 when Babar’s 57-run knock came to an end. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 180 runs with two overs still remaining. For the home side, Tim Southee starred with the ball, taking 4 for 25 off his 4 overs.

NZ vs PAK: New Zealand’s innings

Earlier in the game, Shaheen Afridi won the toss and opted to bowl first. He backed his decision by dismissing opener Devon Conway for a first-ball duck in the opening over of the game. However, the left-arm pacer and his teammates failed to capitalize on the solid start.

The Men in Green did well to concede just six runs in the first two overs before Finn Allen went berserk. The hard-hitting opener broke the shackles by hitting Afridi for three fours and two sixes in the third over. In the fourth over, he hit another six off Aamer Jamal to help his side collect 13 runs and race away to 43 after 4 overs.

In the fifth over, Babar Azam dropped a dolly to hand Kane Williamson a reprieve. On the very next ball, Abbas Afridi dismissed Allan to give his side a much-needed breakthrough. Allan departed after scoring 35 runs off just 15 balls with the help of 3 fours and as many sixes. The breakthrough, however, did not bring much respite for Pakistan.

Welcome to international cricket, Abbas Afridi! ?

He picks up the wicket of Finn Allen in his first over ☝️#NZvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/K3tObYVt3j

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 12, 2024

Williamson, who was dropped for nine, shared a 78-run stand with Daryl Mitchell before being dismissed for 57. Mitchell, on the other end, took the Pakistan bowlers to the cleaners, scoring 61 runs off just 27 balls with the help of 4 fours and 4 sixes.

Glenn Phillips (19 off 11) and Mark Chapman (26 off 11) came up with fine cameos towards the end to help their side post a 200-plus total for the first time against Pakistan. For the tourists, Shaheen and Abbas claimed three wickets each.

NZ vs PAK: Scorecard

Brief scores: New Zealand 226/8 in 20 overs (Daryl Mitchell 61, Kane Williamson 57; Abbas Afridi 3-34) beat Pakistan 180/10 in 18 overs (Babar Azam 57; Tim Southee 4-25) by 46 runs.