(Cricket News) In the five-match Twenty20 International series, New Zealand beat Pakistan with a clinical display that put them ahead early. Led by captain Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand amassed a massive total on the board, and while Pakistan looked like they were going to make it, they eventually ran out of steam and fell well short by 46 runs.

Shaheen Afridi’s reign as the new T20I skipper began with a bang as he struck in the very first over of the game. Devon Conway, who had returned for this series, mistimed one straight to short cover to depart for a golden duck, much to Pakistan’s delight. Only one run came off the first over and five from the next.

However, things changed dramatically as Finn Allen ripped Shaheen apart in his second over to hammer two sixes and three fours to thrill the crowd. Allen smashed Aamer Jamal for one more six before a slower ball from Abbas Afridi ended his threatening cameo. Williamson got off to a stuttering start and had made only 16 off 19 in the powerplay.

Williamson and Mitchell restored life to New Zealand in the middle overs, but it was Mitchell who dealt the real blow to the visitors, first hitting back-to-back sixes off Usama Mir, followed by an expensive over from Jamal in which both batsmen enjoyed themselves immensely before Williamson hit consecutive boundaries once more to reach fifty before misfiring on one to go for 57.

With Mitchell Santner out due to Covid, the batting lineup was a bit thin, but the visitors could not capitalize as Mark Chapman went bonkers at the death to smash 26 off just 11 before Tim Southee finished the innings with another six.

Mitchell was in his element, picking apart the bowling attack for boundaries, and he found great support from Glenn Phillips, who took little time to get going. Phillips did fall with five overs left in the innings and Pakistan appeared to storm back following Mitchell’s dismissal as well.

Saim Ayub’s decision to open with him rather than Babar Azam paid off handsomely for Pakistan; the young left-hander smashed the opening ball of the run chase for a boundary and then signaled his intentions with a six.

He looked good early in the powerplay, threatening to do plenty of damage when Matt Henry was brought into the attack with a couple of sixes and a four from the opener, but Adam Milne’s quick work caught the youngster short of his crease as he fell for an eight-ball 27. Unfortunately for Pakistan, they also lost Mohammad Rizwan in the powerplay, although he looked good for a short while.

While boundaries kept coming after the powerplay for a short while, New Zealand gradually pulled the game back with wickets; Ish Sodhi sent Fakhar Zaman back to the pavilion with a superb one-handed low catch off his own bowling, and Iftikhar, who was dangerous, misjudged a slower delivery to give Southee his second wicket. Pakistan’s chances became much more difficult from then on as they needed 92 from the last seven overs.

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