New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 46 runs in the first T20 match played in Auckland on Friday. With this, the Kiwi team has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20 series. Captain Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell made place for the team.

Pakistan decided to field first. Batting first, New Zealand scored 226 runs losing eight wickets and gave Pakistan a score of 227 runs. In Striker’s last match, Pakistan team was all out for 180 runs in 18 overs.

Mitchell’s Sixth Fifty of T-20 International Critics
Mitchell played an innings of 61 runs in 27 balls. This is his sixth T20 International and second against Pakistan. He also played the 78th wicket stand for the third wicket with Williamson. Captain Williamson also batted brilliantly in this match, dismissing first 40 batsmen and then scored 57 runs. This is his 18th post as T-20 International Artist. Leaving aside these two players, Finn Allen scored 34 runs and Chapman scored 26 runs.

For Pakistan, debutant Abbas Afridi and Captain Roylan Shah Afridi took three wickets each. Fast bowler Aris Roofe got two wickets.

Kane Williamson played an inning of 57 runs.

Babar’s shop, Saudi took 4 wickets
Former captain of Pakistan team Babar Azam played the maximum innings of 57 batsmen to chase the strike. Babar Azam hit 6 sixes and 2 sixes in 35 balls. This is the 31st fifties of his T20I batsmen. Tim Southee scored 25 runs for the Kiwi team, taking maximum 4 wickets. Adam Milne and Ben Seers took 2-2 wickets.

150 wickets among Saudi T20 international batsmen
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has taken full 150 wickets among T-20 international batsmen. The Saudis are the first ally in the world to reach this milestone. Saudi achieved this feat by taking four wickets against Pakistan.

First T20 century was not played due to Corona infection
The first T20 was not played due to Corona virus being found in New Zealand cricket team’s flamboyant Mitchell Santner. He did not get to travel with the team and his responsibility has been taken away. New Zealand set to bat ahead of match Mitchell Santner will not travel with the team to Auckland for the first T20 International after testing positive for COVID-19 this evening. The medical team will continue to monitor his health in the coming days. He is currently based alone in his home in Hamilton.