Pakistan Clinches Dominant Nine-Wicket Victory Over New Zealand
Pakistan 207/1 (Nawaz 105, Agha 51, Haris 41) defeated New Zealand 204 (Chapman 94, Bracewell 31, Rauf 3-29) by nine wickets**
Pakistan’s aggressive approach finally yielded success after two previous setbacks, as they stormed to a commanding nine-wicket win over New Zealand in a thrilling encounter at Eden Park. The high-scoring match witnessed a total of 411 runs, with Hasan Nawaz’s maiden T20I century eclipsing Mark Chapman’s valiant 94. Chasing a target of 205, Pakistan completed the chase in just 16 overs, keeping the five-match series alive at 1-2.
Embracing a new opening combination in the post-Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam era, Pakistan’s faith in Nawaz and Mohammed Haris paid off. The duo provided a blistering start with a 74-run stand off just 35 balls, setting the perfect platform for the chase. Captain Salman Agha capitalized on the momentum, scoring an unbeaten 51 and forging a 133-run unbroken partnership with Nawaz. After back-to-back ducks in the previous games, Nawaz roared back with a sensational knock, smashing the fastest T20I century for Pakistan in just 44 balls.
Chapman’s Fireworks Propel New Zealand to 204
New Zealand’s innings was anchored by Chapman, who blazed his way to 94 off just 44 balls. The hosts suffered an early setback when Finn Allen fell for a three-ball duck in the opening over to Shaheen Shah Afridi. However, Tim Seifert (19 off nine) and Chapman steadied the innings. Despite Seifert’s dismissal to Haris Rauf in the fifth over, Chapman continued his attacking play.
Displaying an array of powerful strokes, Chapman dispatched short deliveries with precision and executed exquisite cover drives. He launched his first six in the fourth over, slog-sweeping Abrar Ahmed for a towering 84-metre shot. His half-century came off 29 balls in the ninth over, marking his fourth fifty against Pakistan and his first in almost a year.
Chapman kept the scoreboard ticking, even as Daryl Mitchell (17 off 11) perished to Shadab Khan in the tenth over. His well-placed shots and strong bottom-hand play saw him smash 11 fours and four sixes. However, his innings came to an end in the 13th over when Afridi deceived him with a slower ball, resulting in a leading edge to Shadab at short third.
Pakistan then struck at regular intervals, with Rauf and Abrar Ahmed both delivering two-wicket overs. Despite this, Michael Bracewell’s quickfire 31 off 18 balls ensured New Zealand crossed the 200-run mark.
Pakistan’s Explosive Start Seals the Chase
Determined to make amends for their previous failures, Haris and Nawaz provided Pakistan with a dream start. Haris signaled his intent by smashing two sixes off Kyle Jamieson’s first over, followed by two boundaries against Jacob Duffy. Nawaz, though struggling initially with his timing, still managed to find the fence. Pakistan matched their fastest team fifty in men’s T20Is, reaching the milestone in just four overs.
Duffy managed to break the stand by dismissing Haris for 41 off 20 balls with a well-directed bouncer in the sixth over. However, Pakistan continued their aggressive charge, reaching 75/1 at the end of the powerplay—their highest powerplay total in men’s T20Is, surpassing their 73-run effort against England in 2016.
From there, Nawaz and Agha took control, dismantling New Zealand’s attack with a relentless assault. Nawaz’s breathtaking century and Agha’s solid support ensured Pakistan cruised to victory with ease, keeping the series alive and setting the stage for an exciting contest ahead.
