Pakistan’s Batting Struggles Lead to Heavy Defeat
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha acknowledged his team’s shortcomings after a crushing nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the first T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The visitors crumbled to 91 all out, which the Kiwis chased with ease in just 11 overs.
“It was difficult, we weren’t up to the mark, but we need to regather ahead of Dunedin,” Agha admitted in the post-match press conference.
Pakistan’s Early Collapse
Batting first, Pakistan suffered a nightmare start, losing three wickets for just one run:
- Kyle Jamieson removed Mohammad Haris for a duck.
- Jacob Duffy dismissed debutant Hasan Nawaz for a second-ball duck.
- Vice-captain Shadab Khan fell for three runs, further deepening Pakistan’s woes.
Agha and Khushdil Shah offered brief resistance with a 46-run partnership, but it wasn’t enough. Ish Sodhi dismissed Agha for 18, and Khushdil (32) fell to Duffy in the 13th over, ending any hopes of a respectable total.
New Zealand’s bowlers dominated:
- Duffy: 4 wickets
- Jamieson: 3 wickets
- Sodhi: 2 wickets
- Zakary Foulkes: 1 wicket
New Zealand’s Easy Chase
Chasing a modest 92, New Zealand’s openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen made light work of the target.
- Seifert smashed 44 off 29 balls before falling.
- Allen (29) and Tim Robinson (18)** sealed the victory in the 11th over.
With this, New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Agha Backs Debutants Despite Defeat
Despite the loss, Agha praised Pakistan’s three debutants, emphasizing that experience will help them improve.
“The more games they play, the more they’ll learn. The new ball does a bit in New Zealand, and we have good bowlers. We’ll look to do well in the next match.”
Can Pakistan Bounce Back?
With the second T20I in Dunedin, Pakistan will be desperate to avoid another collapse and level the series.
🏏 Can they stage a comeback? Drop your thoughts below! 👇
