NEW DELHI:
Daryl Mitchell
and
Kane Williamson
fired brisk half centuries, propelling New Zealand to a 46-run win over Pakistan on Saturday in the first of five T20Is in Auckland on Friday.
Mitchell blasted 61 from 27 balls, following Williamson, who hit a solid 57 (42) as New Zealand amassed 226 for 8 after being sent in to bat -- their highest-ever total against Pakistan in a T20Is.
Pakistan were in with a chance as long as
Babar Azam
was at the crease. But when the former captain got out for 57 in the 16th over, the size of the run chase became insurmountable. Pakistan were eventually all out for 180 in 18 overs.
The defeat was Shaheen Afridi's first in his debut as Pakistan's T20I captain.
Put in charge of the squad ahead of the T20 World Cup in June, Shaheen claimed three wickets and promoted himself in the batting order but the Kiwis still went 1-0 up in the series.
It was an eventful outing for Shaheen, who dismissed Devon Conway with the second ball of the match but bled 24 runs in his second over when Finn Allen (34) smacked him for three fours and two sixes.
Shaheen returned to remove the dangerous-looking Mitchell and also dismissed Adam Milne to finish with expensive figures of 3-46.
Debutant Abbas Afridi, who claimed 3-34, was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers.
Babar Azam (57) anchored Pakistan's chase for a while but Tim Southee (4-25) led New Zealand's disciplined bowling, which was aided by their sharp catching, as they bowled out the visitors for 180 in 18 overs.
The contest also saw Southee becoming the first player to 150 wickets in T20Is.
Shaheen promoted himself to number seven but the ploy did not work as he fell for a duck.
New Zealand spinner Mitch Santner sat out after testing positive for COVID-19, the team said.
Santner has been in isolation at the team's Auckland hotel and will travel solo home to Hamilton, which hosts the second match on Sunday.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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