The Black Caps have beaten Pakistan by 46 runs in the first T20 of the series at Eden Park this evening, after successfully defending 226 on a high-scoring pitch.
Sent in to bat, the Black Caps posted 226/8, the third highest T20 international score ever at Eden Park, thanks to half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson, as well as some fast cameos from Finn Allen and Mark Chapman.
Despite the total, memories of a 2018 encounter with Australia would have left the Black Caps wary. On that occasion, New Zealand posted a then-ground record of 243, only to see Australia chase it down with nearly two overs to spare.
Pakistan got off to a rapid start, with Saim Ayub plundering 27 off just 8 balls, smashing the Kiwi bowlers all around the ground and surviving a tough dropped chance by Williamson. But his luck ran out shortly after when his partner Mohammad Rizwan sent him back as he took off for a quick single and couldn’t get back in his crease before Milne threw down the stumps.
Rizwan himself also smashed a flurry of boundaries before skying Southee high into the night, the catch safely taken by gloveman Conway.
But the turning point came with a moment of brilliance from Sodhi. Fakhar Zaman, who had just hit Ben Sears into the roof of the North Stand, flicked a full toss from Sodhi to the spinner’s left. Sodhi dove and stuck out a hand, where the ball nestled safely in his grasp. The crowd erupted, Sodhi erupted and pumped his chest in celebration knowing just how big a moment that could turn out to be.
Iftikhar Ahmed was undeterred by the mammoth chase, smashing Sodhi for six first ball and combining nicely with Babar Azam to keep Pakistan in the hunt. But when he fell to a Southee slower ball for 24, the pressure ramped up on Babar to guide his side home.
Pakistan’s former captain continued to fight, bringing up his half century off 33 balls, leaving Pakistan 68 to get from the final five overs.
But while Babar fought at one end, wickets fell at the other, with Azam Khan and Shaheen Afridi both departing in the same over. The asking rate proved to be too much for Babar, who chipped Ben Sears straight to cover in the next over to depart for 57.
That left Aamer Jamal and Usama Mir at the crease to try and score the 54 runs required for victory off the remaining 22 deliveries.
It was a bridge too far, with Mir, Abbas Afridi, and Haris Rauf all dismissed within two overs, seeing Pakistan bowled out for 180. Tim Southee also brought up an impressive milestone, becoming the first man to take 150 wickets in T20 internationals.
New Zealand welcomed back captain Kane Williamson, as well as Devon Conway and Matt Henry, as they continue to build towards the T20 World Cup in June.
The innings got off to the worst possible start for the home side, with Conway chipping his first ball straight to cover off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi.
But Finn Allen, eager to prove his worth to the national selectors, took Afridi for 24 off his next over including two sixes and three fours.
Luck then began to swing in favour of the Black Caps. Allen was clean bowled by Aamer Jamal off a no-ball, while Williamson survived a close LBW shout before being dropped by Babar Azam a few balls later.
While Williamson went on to score 57, Allen could not capitalise on being given a life, as he was deceived by a back-of-the-hand slower ball by Abbas Afridi in the following over, chipping a simple catch to square leg and departing for a 15-ball 35.
Williamson was joined by Daryl Mitchell and together they built an excellent partnership, rotating the strike, finding gaps, and putting away loose deliveries. Williamson was dropped again on 40, this time a more difficult chance at short third man, as Pakistan struggled to contain the runs on the small Eden Park ground.
The Black Caps captain raced past 50 with a pair of exquisite boundaries down the ground before being caught on the rope attempting to hit a third.
Mitchell continued to impose himself, smacking four sixes down the ground, while Glenn Phillips chipped in with a handy 19 off 11 before being caught at long on.
Shaheen Afridi picked up the wicket of Mitchell with his first ball back into the attack, leaving Mark Chapman to guide the Black Caps through the final four overs with a long tail, thanks to the absence of Mitchell Santner, who was forced to miss the game after testing positive for Covid-19.
Adam Milne smashed Afridi for a huge six but struggled to get Haris Rauf away in the following over. Chapman took the Black Caps past 200 but lost Milne and then Ish Sodhi inside three deliveries. He too fell in the final over, but not before clubbing Rauf for a huge six over square leg and taking the Black Caps past 220. Tim Southee finished off the innings in style, ramping Rauf for six over fine leg.
Black Caps 226/8 Mitchell 61 (27), Williamson 57 (42), Allen 35 (15).
Pakistan 180 all out Babar 57 (35), Ayub 27 (8), Rizwan 25 (14).
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