PAK Vs NZ: Hassan Nawaz’s stunning century and captain Salman Ali Agha’s brilliant fifty propel Pakistan to a record-breaking run chase against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland.
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From back-to-back ducks in Dunedin and Christchurch to a breathtaking maiden T20I century in Auckland, Hassan Nawaz’s comeback was nothing less than extraordinary. The 22-year-old turned up in style, playing a fearless knock that led Pakistan to a thumping victory with four overs to spare.
Hassan’s power-hitting was on full display, leaving New Zealand’s bowlers clueless and unable to contain the flow of runs. Apart from James Neesham, who maintained some control, every other bowler was put to the sword as Pakistan stormed to a historic win.
Chasing a challenging target of 205, Pakistan required an explosive start, and they got exactly that. Mohammad Haris and Hassan Nawaz wasted no time, launching a brutal assault in the Powerplay. The pair capitalized on the improving pitch, finding boundaries with ease and putting New Zealand’s bowlers under immense pressure. Even after Haris’ dismissal for 41 off 20, Pakistan finished the crucial first six overs at a dominant 75/1, setting the perfect platform for victory.
New Zealand desperately searched for breakthroughs, but their leading bowlers had no answers against Pakistan’s dominant batting display. With short boundaries aiding the batters, even mis-hits raced to the fence, adding to the Kiwis’ frustration. The momentum swung firmly in Pakistan’s favor when Salman Agha stepped up, crafting a fluent 51* off 31 balls.
Meanwhile, Hassan Nawaz, who had struggled with consecutive ducks in previous matches, found his form in style, blasting a blistering century off just 44 deliveries. His explosive knock guided the Green Shirts to a commanding victory with nine wickets, while New Zealand’s bowlers remained helpless in the face of Pakistan’s relentless batting.
PAK Vs NZ: Ist Inning
Earlier in the innings, Pakistan’s decision to bowl first paid off as they struck quickly, dismissing Finn Allen for a duck and sending Tim Seifert back for a quickfire 19 off 9 balls, seizing control of the Powerplay. To prevent from collapsing, Mark Chapman came to rescue New Zealand with a counterattacking innings, crafting a superb half-century alongside Daryl Mitchell to shift the momentum. Despite wickets falling around him, Chapman stood firm, taking charge in the middle overs with explosive hitting.
However, he fell for Shaheen Afridi, leaving short of a well-deserved century by just six runs. Although New Zealand still had overs in hand, Pakistan’s bowlers stepped up at the right time, with Haris Rauf making a key impact by grabbing three wickets in the death overs. However, Michael Bracewell’s quickfire 31 off 18 balls proved crucial, pushing New Zealand for a challenging total of 204, despite Pakistan’s strong comeback.
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