Daily Times

LAHORE: Matt Henry claimed a hat-trick for New Zealand but it was not enough as Pakistan celebrated skipper Babar Azam’s 100th T20I with a clinical 88-run win in the first game of the five-match series, thanks to fast bowler Haris Rauf’s career-best figures of 4-18, against the visitors at Gaddafi Stadium here on Friday night. New Zealand were bowled out for 94 with more than four overs to spare, losing their last five wickets for only six runs, after being set 183 to win.

After Pakistan had elected to bat and made good progress with Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman scoring 47 apiece, Henry enjoyed what he called a “very special” landmark over two separate overs. He had Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed caught behind by captain Tom Latham on the final two balls of the 13th over, and when he returned for the 18th over, it was so long since he had struck that some teammates didn’t even remember he was on a hat-trick. First ball, though, he had Shaheen Shah Afridi caught in the deep, thanks to Daryl Mitchell’s spectacular effort as he parried the ball back to Chad Bowes on the field while falling over the boundary line. Still, Henry’s heroics — he finished with 3-32 off his four overs — were not enough to ruin the Pakistan captain’s big day.

Babar’s side were at full strength for the series opener against the Kiwis but a depleted New Zealand are touring Pakistan for five T20s and five ODIs without eight of their frontline players, who are busy in the Indian Premier League. New Zealand struck early through Adam Milne (2-51) in the powerplay when the fast bowler trapped Mohammad Rizwan (8) lbw and Babar went for an over-ambitious shot on the off-side and was bowled for nine. Left-handers Saim and Fakhar then combined in an aggressive 79-run stand from 43 balls before Saim was run out as he couldn’t beat Bowes’ direct hit throw from deep midwicket and fell short of his crease at the non-striker’s end.

Fakhar also perished before the death overs when he was caught in the deep while attempting a sweep against leg-spinner Ish Sodhi as Pakistan slipped to 6-131. New Zealand’s inexperienced top-order was rattled by Pakistan’s strong pace attack with Mark Chapman top-scoring with 34 but not before Rizwan missed a regulation stumping early in his knock. Rauf then quickly wrapped up the innings by claiming three wickets in his return spell and left-arm spinner Imad Wasim also picked up two wickets off successive deliveries to give Pakistan an emphatic start in the series.

“The pitch was assisting the bowlers so it was a good batting performance to get that total and then our complete bowling unit was excellent,” said Azam, happy at reaching a personal landmark. “I had never expected this. I still remember the journey of starting off here as a ball-boy on the side-lines, and to now be here, it is a huge honour,” said Babar of serving as a ball-boy during the 2007 series against South Africa. Latham said his team did not adapted to the different conditions. “We did not quite adapt to the conditions early enough,” said Latham whose team are missing top eight players due to Indian Premier League. “On that surface, the score was slightly above-par. We did not build partnerships with the bat.”