Fast player Jacob Duffy takes four wickets for the first time as New Zealand beat Pakistan by five wickets in the first T20 international; Tim Seifert gets fifty years when Black Caps leads 1-0 in a series of three games; game two in Hamilton on Sunday
Last updated: 18/12/20 10:35 am
Jacob Duffy made four wickets for the first time when New Zealand beat Pakistan in the first T20
Fast player Jacob Duffy went 4-33 for the first time as New Zealand recorded a five-wicket win over Pakistan in the first T20 international in Auckland.
Duffy helped reduce New Zealand Pakistan to 39-5 and limit the number of visitors – who are without captain Babar Azam due to a thumb injury – to 153-9.
Black Caps opener Tim Seifert (57) hit his fourth T20I semifinal to beat New Zealand when they reached their target with seven members to drop.
Tim Seifert’s half-century was the basis of the successful running of the Black Caps
Right player Duffy took his first wicket with his fourth ball in international cricket – Abdullah Shafique for duck – and took his other two with his fifth and sixth ball of his second.
The 26-year-old was given an elegant refusal when he flew high at the third deep to catch a solo off Blair Tickner’s bowling, just for the television umpire to control his hand grazing the boundary rope.
Duffy took his fourth wicket in 18th place, that of Pakistan skipper Shadab Khan, who was a top spot for the tourists with 42.
Shadab Khan is standing as Pakistan’s captain for the injured Babar Azam
Scott Kuggeleijn went in bags 3-27 for the Black Caps, with Haider Ali eliminated in fifth place by making sure New Zealand delivered three wickets in as many balls, after Duffy Mohammad Rizwan (17) and Mohammad Hafeez (0) scored at the end of the quarter.
Pakistan were 20-4 at that level and were also 79-6 in the 14th over but Faheem Ashraf hit 31 from 18 balls, three six-pointers, to boost the overall number.
New Zealand fell to 21-2 in the chase before Seifert started proceedings at times 44 and 45 with Glenn Phillips (23) and Mark Chapman (34) respectively.
Haris Rauf gave up three wickets in a loss for Pakistan
Seifert went out to Shaheen Afridi (2-27) in the 15th over, leaving the Kiwis 110-4, and when Haris Rauf (3-29) eliminated Chapman the guests were 129-5 in the 17th.
However, Pakistan ‘s hopes were dashed by Jimmy Neesham (15no) and Mitchell Santner (12no), with Neesham hitting two sixes off Shaheen in 18th place and Santner hitting the highest winning Wahab Riaz in the 19th .
The second T20I takes place in Hamilton on Sunday before the series ends in Napier on Tuesday.