In a remarkable achievement, Tim Southee became the first cricketer to reach 150 wickets in Twenty20 internationals, leading New Zealand to a 46-run victory against Pakistan in their series opener in Auckland. The veteran seam bowler’s exceptional performance, claiming four wickets, was pivotal in dismissing Pakistan for 180 runs in the 18th over. This response came against New Zealand’s formidable score of 226-8, giving the hosts an early advantage in the five-match series.
Southee’s impressive figures of 4-25 at Eden Park were instrumental in this run-dominated match, propelling him to a total of 151 T20 international wickets, surpassing Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan by 11 wickets.
New Zealand’s Dominant Batting and Pakistan’s Response
New Zealand’s innings set a record for Pakistan’s highest conceded score in a T20 match, eclipsing England’s 221-3 in Karachi in 2022. Daryl Mitchell’s rapid 61 off 27 balls and captain Kane Williamson’s steady 57 off 42 balls built on the aggressive start from opener Finn Allen, who scored 24 runs in just the third over. Despite Pakistan’s attempt to chase, they struggled after the dismissal of former captain Babar Azam, who scored a brisk 57 off 35 balls. Openers Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan contributed starts, but the team faltered as Azam lacked adequate support.
Pakistan’s bowling attack, especially in the face of New Zealand’s relentless boundary-hitting, failed to contain the match, conceding a combined total of 21 fours and 11 sixes. Pakistani debutant Abbas Afridi showed promise with 3-34 off four overs, but other newcomers, including Usama Mir, faced a tough challenge. Shaheen Shah Afridi, leading the team for the first time, managed to take 3-46 but couldn’t prevent the defeat. New Zealand had to adjust their lineup as Mitchell Santner was sidelined due to testing positive for Covid-19.
