New Zealand (226/8) defeat Pakistan (180) by 46 runs in the first T20I to go 1-0 up in the 5-match series

Today, the straight boundary in Auckland measures just 47 meters, which is significantly shorter than the standard playing conditions for Men’s T20Is. This ground is exempt from these conditions because it gained international status before the introduction of the current rules.
 
Too long tail and Usama should be nowhere near the team
 
5 bowlers and 6 batsmen

NZ proved too good for Pakistan. Guys like Neesham were a liability
 
Never had a chance with chacha , azam and Shaheen afridi batting in crucial positions. Bring in Farhan next game at least he's a proper in form bat
 
Kiwi fielding is brilliant. Won this match just because they saved too many runs that would have been 4s otherwise.
 
This Mir guy is such a timid and dull. He should never be selected for Pakistan team again. Even Nawaz looks superior than him.
 
My MOTM is Fin Allen

That was a spectacular take down of Shaheen. But Mitchell will get the award
 
Today, the straight boundary in Auckland measures just 47 meters, which is significantly shorter than the standard playing conditions for Men’s T20Is. This ground is exempt from these conditions because it gained international status before the introduction of the current rules.
Isn’t this the ground Inzimam took Pakistan to the final in 1992?
 
Southee is a medium pacer disguised as fast bowler. Players should set themselves to play 110-120KPH
 
Pakistan are nothing unless RizBab go big.

The flattest pitch ever and nobody else could last more than 15 balls. Pathetic.
 
Would like to see some fresher blood at the top of the order. Having Ayub is a start - really don't need to see all the seniors here we know what they can do. The management should have rested Babar,Rizwan,Shaheen for this series and not pick that old fart Iftikhar who is a hasbeen. We all know they will play a near full line up in all T20 games this year and they will not progress beyond groups in the upcoming world cup. No doubt Faheem and Hassan Ali are waiting in the wings to get a game.
 
4 over just 25 runs and 4 wickets for southee on a flat wicket excellent bowling mom performance
 
babar azam will cost more games than win when will everyone understand that

It's you who misunderstand.

There will never be an easier pitch to bat on. Yet...who else managed to step up today and score runs?

You don't chase big totals without being able to orchestrate a big innings.

There are only two men in this side who are capable of doing that, and that is why they are the most successful opening pair in Pakistan's history.
 
Need Fakhar and Saim to open.

Rizwan needs to lump it at 6.

This would have been a different game if Fakhar had opened.

Babar is impactless as they come but can keep one end.
 
babar cost this match along with. azam and ifti
Let’s be fair bro

Babar batted out of his depth today. Azam Khan was poor, he was hacking at everything. He can play shots all around the park but he clearly bottled it.

Iftikhar will be Iftikhar. He can’t get out of that mental block of needing 10 dot balls or single balls in his innings at some point
 
Top 3 batters played well, rest of the team could not support. Shaheen was silly to promote himslef; Usama, Azam and Ifti need to be dropped permanently.
 
Rock Star bowling Performance by Southee and a magnificent 6️⃣ too off the last bowl.
 
It's you who misunderstand.

There will never be an easier pitch to bat on. Yet...who else managed to step up today and score runs?

You don't chase big totals without being able to orchestrate a big innings.

There are only two men in this side who are capable of doing that, and that is why they are the most successful opening pair in Pakistan's history.

Lol.

If you still want Babar and Rizwan to open after the debacle of T20 world Cup, you are living in delusions.
 
Shaheen needs to man up and bowl in the middle like Southee did in the crunch moments
 
46 runs loss in T20 is like 130 runs lose in odi cricket .

It is indeed a massive loss.

Without Babar holding up an end it would have been even more embarrasing.

Playing 10-15 ball cameos means nothing in the grand scheme of things. It is batting that wins you games vs big totals.

There are only two proper batsmen in this side. The rest are just glorifed hacks who are completely hit and miss and can't be relied upon in the slightest.
 
Great match tbh

Pakistan tried tbf
The lower middle-order got exposed, as I expected.

Azam Khan will never be an international cricketer with this temperament. He looked like a tail-ender against the bounce. Iftikhar will always be a mental midget and will finish one out of 20 games maybe.

Less said about Usama Mir and Shaheen the better.
 
Due to their prejudice. Babar batted at 162 strikerate.

Really?

Babar batted at 130 SR all innings.

Just because you hit 6 and 4 and 4 at the end to boost your SR to 160 doesn't tell the whole picture.

Stop deceiving the nation.
 
Lol.

If you still want Babar and Rizwan to open after the debacle of T20 world Cup, you are living in delusions.

I think Saim/Rizwan is the best opening combination.

But my point is that it takes at least one of RizBab to go big for us to win anything at all. Hence, one of them needs to be there from ball 1.
 
Lol.

If you still want Babar and Rizwan to open after the debacle of T20 world Cup, you are living in delusions.
Dr Saab that was a poor WC for openers from all teams in general. wasn't easy in those conditions.
And Pak had played only 4 t20's in Aus in 13 years prior to that WC
 
Dr Saab that was a poor WC for openers from all teams in general. wasn't easy on those conditions

They are not good enough as T20 openers.

Period.

You can't expect your top order to score 50 off 35 balls and remaining 8 batsmen to score 100 off 8 overs to keep Pakistan in the game.
 
People blaming batsmen here okay azam and iftikhar failed but it was the bowling who lost us the match. 220+ is rarely ever chased.
 
They are not good enough as T20 openers.

Period.

You can't expect your top order to score 50 off 35 balls and remaining 8 batsmen to score 100 off 8 overs to keep Pakistan in the game.
Tbf doc

Babar was showing intent throughout. He just isn’t that guy but for once it looked like he wanted to bat for his country instead of himself
 
People blaming batsmen here okay azam and iftikhar failed but it was the bowling who lost us the match. 220+ is rarely ever chased.

220 is mostly chased nowadays.

What world?

You want bowlers to restrict NZ so Pakistan batting can bat at 6 runs per over and cruise?
 
This ground was perfect for some batter like Azam khan and Iftikhar but still Pakistan ended up on loosing side. Poor fielding cost the match again.

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Top 3 batters played well, rest of the team could not support. Shaheen was silly to promote himslef; Usama, Azam and Ifti need to be dropped permanently.
Totally agree..

Usama is a club level bowler, he is not cut out for intl cricket as simple as that... Players who have never played spin bowling could hit boundaries against his poor bowling...
Azam just drop him, he is there only because of his father was a cricket icon and former captain
Ifthikar when will he win matches for pak ,he can be a finisher in pak domestic but no where near in INTL cricket
 
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Tbf doc

Babar was showing intent throughout. He just isn’t that guy but for once it looked like he wanted to bat for his country instead of himself
I have nothing against Babar.
He can anchor at 3 all he wants but Rizwan can't open.
And Babar won't win you games.
End of story.
 
No

Pakistan were consistently getting 10-12 runs per over

They were in touch
Agreed. 14 runs an over for 4 overs was not too difficult. Its basically a 6, 4 and 4 singles each over which on this ground and pitch was pretty doable.
 
I have nothing against Babar.
He can anchor at 3 all he wants but Rizwan can't open.
And Babar won't win you games.
End of story.
Rizwan we know shouldn’t be opening, but we can’t force this management to listen to sane people. They have created this problem 3-4 years ago by making Rizwan far too powerful than he should be.
 
Totally agree..

Usama is a club level bowler, he is not cut out for intl cricket as simple as that... Players who have never played spin bowling could hit boundaries against his poor bowling...
Azam just drop this fatso, he is there only because of his father was a cricket icon and former captain
Ifthikar when will he win matches for pak ,he can be a finisher in pak domestic but no where near in INTL cricket
Moin was supposedly only an icon in Pakistani Cricket perhaps. He was no Gilchrist, Dhoni or even a Rod Marsh.
 
Great efforts by Babar... He should open the innings with Saim...
I agree- its really a dumb move to have Rizwan open and Babar at 3. Rizwan is the better 6 hitter, and a better player in terms of attacking against spin, as well as being able to sweep better.

So it is a no brainer that Babar should open with Saim, and Rizwan bat at 3, with Fakhar at 4.
 
Black Caps beat Pakistan in 1st T20 as Mitchell stars, Sodhi takes sharp catch

At Eden Park, Auckland: Black Caps 226-8 (Daryl Mitchell 61 off 27, Kane Williamson 57 off 42, Finn Allen 34 off 15; Abbas Afridi 3-34 off 4; Shaeen Shah Afridi 3-46 off 4) beat Pakistan 180 all out in 18 overs (Babar Azam 57 off 35; Tim Southee 4-25 off 4) by 46 runs. Click here for full scoreboard

A thunderous knock by Indian Premier League millionaire Daryl Mitchell and a stunning one-handed grab by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi helped the Black Caps win the first of five Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan on Friday.

Mitchell made 61 off 27 as the Black Caps posted 226-8, their fifth-highest T20 international total and the third-highest on Eden Park, which was also the highest ever conceded in a T20 by their opponents.

Sodhi then took a sharp return catch off his own bowling, getting down low to his left, as they dismissed Pakistan for 180 in the 18th over to win by 46 runs, with Tim Southee taking 4-25 off four overs in front of a crowd of 20,055 in Auckland.

Finn Allen also fell inside the power play, but only after he had made 35 off 15, including 24 off one Afridi over.

The opener’s ballistics allowed Kane Williamson to play a more cautious knock without putting his side under a great deal of pressure.

He was lucky to survive as a couple of catches went down, including a relatively straightforward chance to a backtracking Babar Azam at long-on when he was only on nine off 11.

Williamson took nine overs to raise his strike rate over 100, but accelerated as he brought up his half-century off 40 balls, ultimately departing for 57 off 42 when he was caught by Fakhar Zaman at long-on.

Mitchell then took over, scoring 54 off the last 21 balls he faced to move the Black Caps within reach of 200. He was caught at deep mid-wicket by Saim Ayub when Afridi returned at the death.

Mark Chapman then put the icing on the cake with an innings of 26 off 11, while Adam Milne and Tim Southee both hit useful sixes in the absence of Mitchell Santner, who was ruled out and remained at the team hotel after testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday morning.

Pakistan got off to a flyer as they began what would have been their record T20 chase, racing out to 29-0 at the end of the second over.

The Black Caps then made a crucial breakthrough when Saim Ayub backed up too far and was run out by a sharp Adam Milne for 27 off eight.

A second power play wicket came in the sixth over, when Southee got Mohammed Rizwan to sky one and Devon Conway took ownership of the catch, sending the other opener on his way for 25 off 14.

Pakistan were 64-2 as the fielders moved back, slightly behind the asking rate. That was when Sodhi entered the contest as a bowler, and after going for 13 in his first over, he pulled off a blinder of one-handed catch in his second to dismiss the dangerous Fakhar for 15 off 10.

At the halfway stage, the visitors were 109-3, needing 116 off 60 deliveries. Sodhi was involved again as they suffered their next setback, when Iftikhar Ahmed top-edged one to him at short fine leg off the bowling of Southee and had to go for 24 off 17.

Babar was looming as the key man for Pakistan and he upped the ante in the 15th over, hitting Ben Sears for back-to-back boundaries to leave his side needing 68 off 30.

Azam Khan fell the next ball, caught well by a retreating Williamson at extra cover off the bowling of Milne, who then had Afridi caught behind two balls later. He should have had a third, but Matt Henry misjudged a catch at deep point and conceded four to Aamer Jamal instead.

Babar began the 17th over with a boundary, but hit the second ball from Ben Sears to Williamson and was sent on his way for 57 off 35, all-but ending his side’s hopes.

The two teams meet again in Hamilton on Sunday night, with the final three matches to follow in the South Island next week.
SOURCE: STUFF.CO.NZ
 
220 is mostly chased nowadays.

What world?

You want bowlers to restrict NZ so Pakistan batting can bat at 6 runs per over and cruise?
Show me the stats where 220 is chased mostly. We already know this team capabilities and we surely know they can’t go for 10+ over to save their life
 
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