New Zealand has taken a commanding 2-0 lead in their T20 series against Pakistan, following a decisive victory in Dunedin. In a match reduced to 15 overs per side due to weather conditions, New Zealand triumphed by five wickets. This win sets the stage for them to potentially seal the series in the upcoming third T20 match scheduled for Friday in Auckland.
In the second T20 encounter, Pakistan captain Salman Agha led his team's efforts with a top score of 46 runs from 28 balls. Agha's innings came to an end when he was caught by Mark Chapman off the bowling of Ben Sears. Despite Agha's efforts, Pakistan struggled early on as New Zealand's spinner Ish Sodhi swiftly took two crucial wickets, leaving Pakistan at 52-4 by the seventh over.
Shadab Khan contributed a brisk 26 from 14 deliveries, while Shaheen Shah Afridi added an unbeaten 22 from 14 balls, becoming one of only three Pakistani batsmen to surpass 20 runs in the innings. However, Pakistan's overall performance with the bat fell short of setting a competitive target.
New Zealand's chase was spearheaded by Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, who established a strong foundation with an opening partnership of 66 runs inside just five overs. Seifert's aggressive approach yielded 45 runs before he was caught by Shaheen Afridi. Their quick scoring laid the groundwork for New Zealand to comfortably reach the target and secure a five-wicket victory.
With this win, New Zealand is poised to clinch the series as they head into the third T20 match. The team will aim to maintain their momentum and complete a series victory on Friday in Auckland, further asserting their dominance in the five-match series.
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