Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Well, that's about it from the first T20I. Thanks so much for joining us, and we look forward to having you back on Sunday. Take care!

"Great performance from the lads. Started out brilliantly with the ball," Santner says. "When guys come in and step up like Jacob did today, it's great. It looked like a tough surface and our bowlers gave an excellent account of themselves. The energy in the field was outstanding. We'll take the momentum into Hamilton with some of our big players coming back. We're looking forward to the World Cup in India and want to give guys opportunities. We'll make at least four changes next game and let's see how we go."

In the start, we lost too many wickets. If you lose the Powerplay in T20s, it gets very difficult to come back," Shadab says. "We have youngsters in the top order and they will learn quickly. The wicket was a bot two-paced and bouncy and it took some time for our batsman to adjust. We looked a bit rusty today and in the next game, we're determined to do better."

Jacob Duffy is Player of the Match for his four wickets. "It was very daunting at Eden Park. The lads have been awesome and made me feel comfortable above and beyond," Duffy says.

Right, so Pakistan did well to post 153 after that horror start, but this is the sort of pitch you'd want to put 200 on the board for. 20 for 4 doesn't give you much room for error, and neither do New Zealand. Pak may take positive but this is a clinical, ruthless win for New Zealand. And they have their best players coming back for the second game

18.5
6
Wahab Riaz to Santner, SIX, gets underneath this one, and finishes it off with a flourish! Another bouncer from Wahab and Santner was waiting for this one. Helped it on its way and watched it sail over fine leg. NZ go 1-0 up in the series
18.4
0
Wahab Riaz to Santner, no run, hits him on the pads. Another dot ball. This is a tight over from Wahab, though you suspect it's come too late
18.3
0
Wahab Riaz to Santner, no run, bouncer. Nearly took the NZ captain's helmet off with it. Decent pace, too
18.2
2
Wahab Riaz to Santner, 2 runs, chipped over cover and they jog back for a couple. New Zealand a boundary away now
18.1
0
Wahab Riaz to Santner, no run, Tried to make room for himself but Wahab bowls a yorker outside off

END OF OVER:
18 | 15 Runs | NZ: 148/5 (6 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.22, RRR: 3.00)

  • Mitchell Santner4 (3b)
  • James Neesham15 (10b)
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi4-0-27-2
  • Haris Rauf4-0-29-3
17.6
1
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Santner, 1 run, gives himself room, Afridi follows him but it's smashed back to long-on. Expensive over, and NZ need just 6 off 2 overs now

Liam: "I don't think those extra 2 runs will have as much of an impact as the extra 8 runs the drop of Chapman cost Pakistan.." Yep

17.5
1lb
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Neesham, 1 leg bye, angling down legside, and he gets a legbye down for a single. Seems to have rolled his ankle, though. Pakistan review, but I can tell you in advance, that's not out
17.4
6
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Neesham, SIX, In the slot - this has been a poor over from the usually dependable Shaheen. Right in the slot and Neesham clobbers it over cow corner. Sails into the stands for a maximum

"Don't say it! Please... don't anybody say it!" Apologies, Ben.

17.3
0
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Neesham, no run, slower ball Neesham tried to poke it down to third man, but finds himself beaten
17.3
1w
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Neesham, 1 wide, bouncer, but he's taken it too far. Well above his head and the umpire calls wide
17.2
0
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Neesham, no run, slower ball, Neesham watchfully defends
17.1
6
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Neesham, SIX, whoa, that's classy. Rare occasion that Shaheen misses his length, and Neesham gets it right off the middle over Shaheen's head. Lands square on the rope and he's begun the over with six! Asking rate under six for the first time now

Mahd: "I have a feeling those 2 less runs are going to make a difference today" NZ will feel they're due some luck after, you know, those extra runs in the final over of that World Cup final

END OF OVER:
17 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | NZ: 133/5 (21 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.82, RRR: 7.00)

  • Mitchell Santner3 (2b)
  • James Neesham3 (5b)
  • Haris Rauf4-0-29-3
  • Wahab Riaz3-0-37-0
16.6
2
Haris Rauf to Santner, 2 runs, flicked away deftly through the onside, and the cap off the over with a couple
16.5
1
Haris Rauf to Neesham, 1 run, runs it down to third man
16.4
0
Haris Rauf to Neesham, no run, dabbled to short third. Another tight over as the asking rate climbs slightly again
16.3
1
Haris Rauf to Santner, 1 run, short, it pops up into the air. He had no control over that shot. Lucky not to see it go straight to a fielder

Gaurav Sharma: "*Giggles at Champan typo*" Can I pass it off as a pun? Probably not...

New Zealand v Pakistan 2020-21 News

New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st8MJ GuptillTL Seifert
2nd13DP ConwayTL Seifert
3rd44TL SeifertGD Phillips
4th45MS ChapmanTL Seifert
5th19JDS NeeshamMS Chapman
6th27JDS NeeshamMJ Santner