In an exciting encounter at Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand secured a 21-run victory over Pakistan within the second T20I of the five-match collection. The hosts, led by Finn Allen’s explosive 74-run innings, posted a difficult complete of 194 runs, solely to witness a spirited Pakistani fightback within the latter a part of the innings. Despite their efforts, Pakistan was in the end bowled out for 173 runs, marking their second consecutive defeat within the collection.
“We wanted to restrict New Zealand to 170-180 runs, but we could not take early wickets. We struggled in first 10 overs, but we came back in last overs. Unfortunately, not to be today” – Shaheen Afridi ___ #NZvsPAK #BBB24 #PAKvsNZ #______________________ #BeterbievSmith #Capta pic.twitter.com/iyXPZVroAd
— Sikander Nawaz (@SikanderNawaz15) January 14, 2024
Afridi’s Post-Match Analysis
After the sport, Pakistan’s T20I captain, Shaheen Afridi, addressed the media in a post-match presentation. Afridi expressed his disappointment, emphasizing that the early lack of ability to safe wickets price them the match.
“Unfortunately, we missed out on that today. If we would have taken 1 or 2 wickets then their score would have been 170 – 180. We didn’t start the way we want,” Afridi stated, reflecting on the group’s bowling efficiency within the preliminary overs.
Bowlers Shine within the Latter Half
Despite the early setbacks, Afridi acknowledged the resilience of his bowlers within the latter half of the innings. Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz, and Usama Mir performed pivotal roles in limiting New Zealand to solely 83 runs within the ultimate 10 overs.
“Our bowlers bowled properly after 10 overs. We struggled within the first 10 overs, however the way in which Haris and Nawaz bowled was actually good, and Usama Mir bowled very well,” Afridi added, praising the commendable efforts of his bowling unit.
Finn Allen’s Explosive Start
Finn Allen’s scintillating 74-run knock set the stage for New Zealand’s imposing complete. His aggressive batting propelled the group to the 100-run mark throughout the first 10 overs. However, as soon as Allen departed, Pakistan managed to regain momentum, with Haris Rauf’s three-wicket haul within the 18th over being a spotlight.
Pakistan’s Batting Struggles
In pursuit of the goal, Pakistan confronted early setbacks, dropping each openers within the preliminary two overs. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman led a quick restoration with an 87-run partnership for the third wicket, however a collapse ensued after Fakhar Zaman’s departure.
The former captain, Babar Azam, performed a valiant knock of 66 runs, however the lack of considerable contributions from different batsmen proved detrimental to Pakistan’s chase.
Looking Ahead
As Pakistan faces a difficult state of affairs with back-to-back losses, Shaheen Afridi expressed optimism about bouncing again within the third T20I scheduled for January 17, 2024, at Dunedin. The group can be desirous to rectify their errors and switch the tide of their favor within the upcoming encounter.
