CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand on Sunday thumped Pakistan to secure a convincing nine-wicket win against the Green Shirts in the first T20I in Christchurch.
The tourists began the five-match series in disastrous fashion, reduced to 11-4 at the end of the fifth over after towering paceman Kyle Jamieson ran amok with the new ball.
They were eventually dismissed for their lowest score in a T20 on New Zealand soil and the home side had few problems in responding with 92-1 off just 10.1 overs.
Jamieson claimed three of the first four wickets to finish with 3-8 off four overs.
New ball partner Jacob Duffy returned later in the innings to sweep up the tail and, like Jamieson, claimed career-best T20 figures of 4-14 off 3.4 overs.
Pakistan never recovered from their top-order collapse after being sent in on a Hagley Oval pitch offering early life, with only three players reaching double figures.
Newly-installed captain Salman Agha scored 18 runs and put on a 46-run partnership for the fifth wicket with top-scorer Khushdil Shah, who struck three sixes in his 32 off 30 balls.
Jahandad Khan scored 17 at a run-a-ball before the innings ended with eight balls still to be bowled.
Pakistan’s previous lowest T20I score in New Zealand was 101 all out in a 95-run loss in Wellington in 2016.
Opener Tim Seifert got New Zealand off to a flying start, with 44 off 29 balls, striking seven fours and one six.
Finn Allen on 29* and Tim Robinson on 18* completed the chase off the first ball of the 11th over.
The second match is in Dunedin on Tuesday.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (c), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Abrar Ahmed.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.
New Zealand tour schedule:
March 18 — Second T20I, University Oval, Dunedin
March 21 — Third T20I, Eden Park, Auckland
March 23 —Fourth T20I, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
March 26 — Fifth T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington
March 29 — First ODI, McLean Park, Napier
April 2 — Second ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton
April 5 — Third ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
