New Zealand took an early lead in the five-match T20 series after Pakistan’s batting collapsed in under 100 innings at the Hagley Oval.
Pakistan fell into a nine-wicket loss in Christchurch’s first T20 International with New Zealand after failing to defend a small score of 91.
Tourists began the five-game series in a disastrous way on Sunday, reducing to 11-4 at the end of the fifth, with paceman Kyle Jamieson running Amok with a new ball.
They were eventually rejected with a lowest score at T20 in New Zealand soils, with the home side having little trouble responding 92-1 with just 10.1 overs.
Jamieson, who was later selected for Man of the Match, claimed that three of the first four wickets finished 3-8 in four overs.
New ball partner Jacob Duffy returned to the second half of the innings to wipe out the tail, claiming, like Jamieson, a career-high T20 figure of 4-14 with 3.4 overs.
Pakistan never recovered from the top collapse after taking over the Hagley oval pitch.
Newly set up captain Salman Aga scored 18 and after hitting three sixes with 32 balls off 30 balls, he scored 46 for top scorer Kushdirshah, who starred for tourists and fifth wicket.
Jahandad Khan scored 17 points on the ball before the innings ended with eight balls that weren’t yet bowled.
Pakistan’s previous lowest T20 score in New Zealand was 101 in 2016 with a loss of 95 runs at Wellington.
Opener Tim Seifert led New Zealand to the start of his flight, hitting Seven for Four and six with 44 29 balls.
Fin Allen of 29 and Tim Robinson of 18 chased from the first ball in the 11th.
The second game will take place on Tuesday in Dunedin.
Khushdil Shah Top scored for Pakistan on 16 March 2025 in Christchurch, New Zealand, with 32 balls from 30 in his first T20 match against New Zealand at the Hugley Oval. [Joe Allison/Getty Images]
