CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Pakistan’s journey in white ball cricket began on a challenging note this past Sunday as they suffered a nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the opening matchup of a five-game Twenty20 international series.
The team, under its new captain Salman Ali Agha, had gone through a significant transformation following a disappointing run in the 50-overs Champions Trophy at home. This match marked the start of their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, Pakistan’s batting lineup struggled against New Zealand’s fast bowlers, collapsing at 91 all out in 18.4 overs, marking their fifth-lowest score in T20 international matches.
New Zealand chased down the target with ease, finishing at 92-1 in just 10.1 overs. Tim Seifert showcased a stellar performance, scoring 44 off 29 balls. He was supported by Finn Allen who contributed 29 off 17 deliveries. Tim Robinson, finishing not out with 18, sealed the victory by taking two runs on the first ball of the 11th over.
“It was obviously difficult and we weren’t up to the mark,” remarked Salman Ali Agha. “Their bowlers performed excellently, placing the ball in the right areas with both swing and seam. Our batting simply didn’t rise to the occasion. We have a day before the next game, and we aim to regroup and perform better.”
From the outset, Pakistan’s batting was under pressure with new openers Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz, stepping in for seasoned players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, both getting out for ducks within the first eight balls.
Kyle Jamieson, fully fit, returned a remarkable 3-8, while Jacob Duffy claimed 4-14, leaving Pakistan reeling at 14-4 by the end of the powerplay. The dynamic duo exploited the pace, bounce, and swing on the brownish pitch at Hagley Oval, leaving Pakistani batters struggling for an answer.
“It was really nice to be back on home soil,” said Jamieson, who bowled 18 dot balls. “We benefited from favorable conditions, which are advantageous across the country for people like me and Duffy. It was great to make the most of these.”
Salman and Khushdil Shah attempted to revive the innings, gathering some momentum by taking 14 runs off a single over bowled by Ish Sodhi and another 15 off Michael Bracewell, raising Pakistan from 28-4 after nine overs to 57-5 after 11. They found themselves more at ease against the spinners.
Yet, Duffy returned to remove Khushdil for 32, and the remaining batters quickly followed, with only three of them reaching double figures.
Seifert set New Zealand onto the path of victory, collecting 12 runs in the third over and another 14 in the fifth, seeing the team to 43-1 by the end of the powerplay. Allen, in an unusual stint, managed to hit only nine runs across the six initial overs.
At 90-1 after 10 overs, needing a mere two runs for victory, an unexpected drinks break was called by the umpires.
The teams are set to clash again in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Tuesday for the second match of the series.
