Pakistan beat New Zealand by seven wickets in 2nd T20I match

Rawalpindi: Pakistan clinched a convincing victory against New Zealand, sealing a seven-wicket win with 47 balls to spare in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Mohammad Rizwan, breaking records as he went, emerged as the star performer, notching up 45 runs and becoming the fastest player to reach 3,000 T20I runs.

Although Pakistan faced an early setback with opener Saim Ayub's early departure, Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam steadied the ship. However, Azam's departure after a brief contribution of 14 runs added pressure. Yet, Rizwan's resilient knock, supported by Ifran Khan Niazi's 18 runs, ensured Pakistan's smooth sail to victory.

In the first innings, Pakistan's bowlers showcased their prowess, restricting New Zealand to a mere 90 runs in 18.1 overs. Shaheen Afridi set the tone early, dismissing opener Tim Seifert in the third over. Mohammad Amir, making a remarkable comeback after four years, made an impact with two crucial wickets, while Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan also chipped in with two each. Naseem Shah completed the bowling onslaught with a single wicket.

The Black Caps struggled to counter Pakistan's pace attack, with only four batters managing to reach double digits. Afridi led the charge with three wickets, well-supported by Amir, Abrar, and Shadab, ensuring Pakistan's dominance with the ball throughout the match.