Pakistan (173) (Babar 66, Fakhar 50, Milne 4-33, Sears 2-28, Southee 2-31, Sodhi 2-33) lost to New Zealand (194) for 8 (Allen 74, Rauf 3-38, Abbas 2-43) by 21 runs on January 14 in the second T20 match between both nations.
In the first two of the five-match series against Pakistan in Hamilton, New Zealand led 2-0 thanks to a scorching 41-ball 74 from Finn Allen and a four-wicket haul from Adam Milne.
After posting 226 in Auckland in the T20 match, Allen shared half-centuries for the first two wickets with Devon Conway and Kane Williamson, suggesting that New Zealand was once again on course for a massive score. Despite Mitchell Santner’s late cameo, Abbas Afridi and Haris Rauf helped Pakistan recover and limit the hosts to 194.
Pakistan appeared to be in control after losing two early wickets, thanks to an 87-run partnership between Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman. However, Milne, Ben Sears, and Ish Sodhi exploited Pakistan’s batting to ensure New Zealand’s victory.
Major updates on the T20 match between New Zealand and Pakistan
With two half-centuries in the Super Smash and scores of 38 and 34 in his previous two T20 Internationals, Allen was in fine form again, smashing Rauf for a six and a four off his opening two deliveries. Allen hit Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six-over deep midwicket, so he was also not spared.
Allen kept going after Rauf, who conceded 30 runs in his opening two overs. With an 11-run over, Abbas was also welcomed to the assault.
Pakistan was wrong to believe that spin could stop Allen. After greeting Usama Mir with two boundaries in his opening over, he hit him for a four and a six the following over. A half-tracker over deep midwicket for six brought up a half-century from twenty-four balls.
Williamson, on the other hand, was operating well and developed a fondness for Jamal, who had let go of Conway. By halfway through, Williamson had struck the fast bowler for four and a six, taking New Zealand to 111 for 1. However, that was his final contribution to the match when he left the pitch hurt due to hamstring tightness in his right.
The legspinner got his retribution as he finished the opening over with a wrong’un for 74 after Allen had muscled Mir over backward point for a six. In his 37 career T20I matches, Allen has never before scored more than 20 in three straight.
