Pakistan Overcome New Zealand in Second T20I, Amir Shines on Comeback
In a dominant display, Pakistan defeated a depleted New Zealand side by seven wickets in the second T20I match held in Rawalpindi on Saturday. Making his first international appearance in four years, veteran pacer Mohammad Amir made an immediate impact, claiming a wicket off his second delivery.
Amir’s return to the national team proved fruitful, as he finished with impressive figures of 2/13 from his three-over spell. Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/13), Shadab Khan (2/15), and Abrar Ahmed (2/15) also contributed with the ball, skittling out New Zealand for a meager 90 runs – their second-lowest T20 total against Pakistan.
“Amir’s return to the national team proved fruitful, as he finished with impressive figures of 2/13 from his three-over spell.”
Despite missing several key players due to the ongoing Indian Premier League, the Kiwis struggled to cope with Pakistan’s experienced bowling attack. Mark Chapman top-scored with 19 runs, as the visitors were bowled out in just 18.1 overs.
In the chase, Mohammad Rizwan anchored Pakistan’s innings with an unbeaten 45 off 34 balls, guiding the hosts to a comfortable victory in 12.1 overs. Babar Azam and Usman Khan were the other notable contributors with the bat, as Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
The third game of the series will be played on Sunday in Rawalpindi, followed by the remaining two matches in Lahore on Thursday and Saturday.
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