NZ vs Pak 1st T20: New Zealand won by 5 wickets.New Zealand vs Pakistan (NZ vs PAK) 1st T20 Highlights: New Zealand chased down the target of 154 against Pakistan in the 1st T20I with 5 wickets and 7 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Batting first, Pakistan were rocked by early wickets, before a counter-attack towards the end took their score to 153/9. In reply, Tim Seifert (57) drove the chase for the Kiwis, getting to his fifty off 35 balls. Haris Rauf (3/29) and Shaheen Afridi (2/28), however, kept rocking the chase with regular wickets. Pakistan and New Zealand were facing each other in the first T20 International of the three-match series at Eden Park in Auckland.
Wahab Riaz bowls the 19th over with the hosts one hit away from winning the match. Santner does the needful with 4 left to win. Smashes a boundary to fine leg. The skipper hits the winning runs. New Zealand win the match by 5 wickets and 7 balls to spare. They take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Shaheen Afridi bowls the 18th. Neesham crashes a boundary off his first ball, his first one. And then there's another smash - and it's signalled to be a six after a lengthy deliberation. The required run rate comes down to 6. Neesham goes again later in the over. Another six smashed! This time to the leg side. Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan seen having an animated discussion - it's the spinners who have not got any purchase in this innings in fact.
NZ 148/5 after 18, need 6 more to win
More drama! Haris Rauf is the wicket taker again! Chapman is given lbw. Off a full toss. Some crazy stuff have happened in Haris Rauf's overs tonight, has he thrown the game wide apart one more time? Santner comes to the crease - there's an abundance of left handers in this batting order today - and is welcomed by a 145 kph bouncer by Rauf.
NZ 133/5 after 17, need 21 more to win
Afridi fires in an yorker at Chapman. A nervy play and miss from Neesham to follow. Afridi's breakthrough has thrown this game open. Will be a task for Chapman and Neesham to see this chase home. Need to ward off the pressure. Wahab Riaz bowls the 16th - he has been bowling at an economy over 10 tonight so far. Chapman picks up an overpitched ball and smashes a six down the ground. Chapman goes again - pulled to fine leg - and there's a dropped catch! Oh, have Pakistan dropped the match there? Chapman gets a big reprieve on 26! A regulation catch goes down. And four runs added to the chase. And another four to finish the over. Chapman is looking to kill the game off! Wahab Riaz concedes 16 in the 16th over.
NZ 127/4 after 16, need 27 in 4 overs
Shaheen Afridi is brought back in the 15th over. And he gets the wicket Pakistan wanted! Seifert slashes but mistimes the pull as Afridi bowls a slower ball. Catch in the deep. Seiferts is gone for 57 off 43. James Neesham walks in at 6. Could this turn the match in Pakistan's favour?
NZ 110/4 after 14.4
Chapman sweeps Shadab Khan for four to get his first boundary. This young New Zealand batting order are playing without pressure now. They get to 100 in the 13th over, with the required run rate hovering around 7. Pakistan persist with Rauf - they need to shake this chase up somehow, and he has looked the most likely to do that. Chapman fires another boundary to third man. Another partnership moves into the 40s.
NZ 109/3 after 14
Seifert keeps driving the New Zealand chase. Pakistan persist with medium pace after the battering Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan were subject to. Seifert gets to 50 with another four, off Wahab Riaz. Off 35 balls. His fourth T20I fifty.
NZ 91/3 after 12
Haris Rauf strikes again! Just upon reintroduction. Pakistan bring back their seamers. Glenn Phillips tries to go big against Haris Rauf as the explosive pacer is brought back in the 10th over. But is caught in the deep by Khushdil Shah. The partnership of 44 comes to an end. Phillips is out for 23. Mark Chapman joins Seifert, who has now moved into his 30s.
NZ 67/3 after 9.3
Shadab Khan brings himself on in the 7th over. Phillips pulls away with disdain to welcome him. Six on the leg side off his first ball. 50 comes up for New Zealand in the 7th over, with both Phillips and Seifert both having moved into their 20s. A partnership is building for the hosts. Imad Wasim bowls the 8th. Seifert smashes a six! High and long - it's gone 89 metres.
NZ 60/2 after 8
Wahab Riaz bowls the last Powerplay over. Phillips flicks a four to fine leg to welcome him into the attack. Seifert gives himself some room and slashes - one bounce and over the ropes. 11 from the over. New Zealand get to 40/2 at the end of the Powerplay. NZ need 114 more to win from 84 balls
NZ 40/2 after 6
Glenn Phillips walks in at 4. Rauf ramps up the face - 145 kph. But goes too wide and Phillips cuts off the back foot for four. Two boundaries, one elaborate Review and a wicket in Haris Rauf's first over. Faheem Ashraf is who Pakistan bring on for the 5th over. Skiddy medium pace. Seifert and Phillips look to steal a few cheeky singles.
NZ 29/2 after 5
Devon Conway is the new man in for New Zealand. Seifert gets going in Afridi's over, drives through the off to get his first boundary. Pakistan go to Haris Rauf in the 4th over. Conway drives through the covers off his first ball. The next ball draws a huge appeal from Pakistan for caught behind against Conway, they take a Review, but it's not out. Next ball, Conway hits it straight back to Rauf. Caught and bowled! All happening here.
NZ 21/2 after 3.3
What a catch at long off by skipper Shadab Khan! The big wicket! Guptill tries to clear the field but does not get the desired distance. Shaheen Afridi strikes for Pakistan.
NZ 8/1 after 2.1
New Zealand begin their chase of 154 with Martin Guptill and Tim Seifert. Shaheen Afridi keeps the runs down in the first over, just 2 runs off it. Imad Wasim bowls the 2nd over, Guptill finds the gap with a drive to get the first boundary.
NZ 8/0 after 2 overs
Pakistan managed to put a good show at the end with Faheem Ashraf's 18-ball 31.Good recovery from Pakistan but they are still few runs short of a par total. At one stage it looked like they won't last their 20 overs, especially at 20 for 4 but Shadab and Ashraf have given their bowlers something to defend.
Pakistan have managed to score 48 off last 5 overs with a loss of twos wicket. Skipper Shadab Khan got out off 42 off 32 balls when Sodhi again scalped a wicket.
Pakistan 115/7 in 17.2 overs
Another jolt to Pakistan's hopes as Imad Wasim got out off Kuggeleijn's delivery. He was caught by Tickner. The partnership has been broken. The short ball banged into the surface halfway down, Imad ramps it straight down third man's throat. Imad Wasim c Tickner b Kuggeleijn 19(14) [4s-2]
Pakistan 83/6 in 14 overs
Shadab Khan, the stand-in skipper, playing responsibly with Imad Wasim. The pair gradually took the team's run rate above 5. Both have stitched a 34 off 28 balls partnership. Shadab is on 22 and Wasim on 14.
Pakistan 73/5 in 13 overs
It has been haunting 10 overs for Pakistan so for. Duffy's wickets in form of Rizwan (17), Shafique (0) and Hafeez (0) wreaked havoc and now Shadab and Imad Wasim are struggling to take control of the innings.
Pakistan 48/5 in 10 overs
Khushdil Shah's ill-advised shot resulted in his wicket. He was taken at the point! That's why Sodhi keeps bowling short and spinning the ball away from the left-hander. Khushdil c Guptill b Ish Sodhi 16(20)
Pakistan 42/5 in 9 overs