In a gripping T20 match, Pakistan's bowlers showcased their prowess as they tore through New Zealand's batting order. The encounter took place on home soil, adding to the excitement for the Pakistani fans, who witnessed a series of impressive performances from their team. The game became punctuated by game-changing departures. Pakistan’s bowlers put on a masterclass, making sure New Zealand’s batters never got going.
Leading the charge for Pakistan, Haris Rauf invalidated New Zealand’s top order with impressive pace to spark a huge upset. Tim Seifert was the cruel second victim of Rauf’s accuracy, edging to the square-pound fielded by Agha, an early sting that provided shade for the overwhelming innings. Finn Allen quickly followed, coming undone to the combined brilliance of Shaheen Afridi and Rauf. With Afridi at the other end, Rauf took the all-important catch to dismiss Zimbabwe. Image Source: Twitter/@ZimCricketv These key batsmen exiting early left New Zealand in a compromising position right off the bat.
Then Shaheen Afridi followedes, bringing further pressure with the key wicket of Mark Chapman, snared by Shadab Khan. Chapman's dismissal further compounded New Zealand's woes as they struggled to stabilize their innings. In between, Daryl Mitchell got himself run-out by Rauf, and bowled by Shadab Khan. Pakistan’s bowlers were just starting to make it a miserable afternoon.
To compound New Zealand’s woes, Jimmy Neesham was trapped lbw by Abbas Afridi. The dismissal couldn’t have come at a worse time either, as New Zealand continued to look for partnerships to restore their innings. Mitch Hay and Michael Bracewell were both clean-bowled, with Abrar taking Hay's wicket and Rauf dismissing Bracewell, further tightening Pakistan's grip on the match. Kyle Jamieson’s defiance only lasted a few moments as he too was bowled by Abrar.
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