Pakistan celebrates Babar Azam’s 100th match with a victory
Pakistan kicked off their T20 series against New Zealand in style with a resounding 88-run victory in Lahore on Friday. The win was particularly special for skipper Babar Azam, who celebrated his 100th international match in the shortest format of the game. Azam’s contribution with the bat was a modest 9 runs, but he was effusive in his praise for his team’s bowling unit, which restricted the Kiwis to just 94 runs in 15.3 overs.
Pakistan batted first after winning the toss and got off to a shaky start, losing both openers cheaply. But Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub stepped up to the plate, scoring 47 runs apiece and putting on a crucial 79-run partnership for the third wicket.
During his 34-ball innings, Zaman managed to hit four boundaries and two sixes, whereas Ayub’s innings of 28 balls were adorned with two sixes and six fours. Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim also chipped in with some valuable runs towards the end, helping Pakistan reach a total of 182 all out in 19.5 overs.
New Zealand, missing several top players due to the Indian Premier League, struggled to adapt to the conditions and failed to build partnerships with the bat. Mark Chapman top-scored with 34 runs off 27 balls, but his efforts were in vain as the rest of the Kiwi batting lineup crumbled under the pressure of Pakistan’s bowling attack. Fast bowler Haris Rauf was the standout performer, taking career-best figures of 4-18, including the prized scalp of Chapman.
Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim also had a memorable outing, finishing with 2-2 in his only over and taking both his wickets off successive deliveries. Matt Henry was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, taking a hat trick in his figures of 3-32. But his efforts were not enough to stem the flow of runs from Pakistan’s batsmen, who scored at a brisk pace throughout the innings.
For Babar Azam, the win was a fitting way to mark his 100th T20 international appearance. The skipper, who started his cricketing journey as a ball-boy during the 2007 series against South Africa, reflected on his journey with pride and gratitude.
“I had never expected this. I still remember the journey of starting off here as a ball-boy on the sidelines, and to now be here, it is a huge honor,” said Azam.
But Azam was quick to shift the focus back to his team’s performance, particularly the efforts of the bowlers in securing the victory. He said that since the pitch was favoring the bowlers, the team’s batting performance in reaching the total was impressive, and also commended the excellent performance of the entire bowling unit.
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham was gracious in defeat, acknowledging that his team had failed to adapt to the conditions early enough. Latham acknowledged that his team failed to adapt to the conditions promptly, resulting in the score being marginally above the expected mark. He further added that his side lacked partnership building with the bat.
The remaining four matches of the T20 series are scheduled to take place in Lahore and Rawalpindi over the next two weeks. Pakistan will be hoping to maintain its winning momentum, while New Zealand will be looking to bounce back and level the series.
Read More: Jimmy Neesham reveals his strategy against Pakistan’s home conditions
Pakistan’s performance in the first T20 against New Zealand was a clinical display of both batting and bowling prowess. The team will be buoyed by the comprehensive nature of the victory and will look to build on this momentum as they seek to continue their dominance in the shortest format of the game. For skipper Babar Azam, it was a memorable occasion, one that he will cherish for a long time.
