Pakistan 207 for 1 (Nawaz 105*, Agha 51*, Haris 41) beat New Zealand 204 (Chapman 94, Bracewell 31, Rauf 3-29) with nine wickets

Pakistan supported their new openers Nawaz and Mohammed Haris in the post Mohammed Rizwan-Babar Azam era, and they repay the faith by putting a 74-race opening stand from only 35 balls to lay the perfect foundation for the hunt. Agha capitalized on the flying start to score 51 not out and was involved in an unbroken 133-run other wicket stand. Nawaz, who came by two consecutive ducks, burned the fastest hundred of a Pakistan -dough in T20is, out of only 44 balls, in a sensational hunt.

Chapman Powers New Zealand

Chapman’s blistering knock of only 44 balls set up New Zealand for what looked like a total over parties in laps. After losing Finn Allen for a three-ball duck in the first over by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tim Seifert (19 off nine) and Chapman New Zealand pushed past early jitters. New Zealand lost Seifert to Haris Rauf in the fifth above, but Chapman did not slow down.

He pulled and connected the short balls, brought beautiful deck drives against seamen and punished loose deliveries from Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan. Chapman’s first six came in the fourth when he beat-sweeping Abrar to launch the ball in the deep square legs for an 84 meters six. He brought his fourth half a century up against Pakistan from 29 balls in the ninth over. This was also his first T20i fifty in almost a year.

Pakistan got the much -needed breakthrough in the tenth when Daryl Mitchell (17 OFF 11) chased a broad delivery of Shadab and was misunderstood to Rauf. However, Chapman continued to find boundaries, even when Pakistan -captain Agha brought on and leaked 17 races from his first over.

His strong bottom hand and unique location saw him smashing 11 fours and four sixes. He was eventually deceived by a Afridi slower ball in the 13th over and got a front of Shadab on a short third.

Pakistan fought back with quick wickets, including two two-wicket-overs from Rauf and Abrar, but Michael Bracewell’s 31 OFF 18 ensured that New Zealand crossed 200.

Pakistan’s flaming begins to chase

After two disappointing excursions, Haris and Nawaz visitors gave a dream start. Haris began with two sixes from Kyle Jamieson’s first over about innings and followed it up with two fours against Jacob Duffy. Nawaz had a hard time early with his timing, but still found boundaries through striped edges. Pakistan reached their common fastest team fifty in men’s T20i’s in four overs.