In the second Twenty20 match, Pakistan crushed New Zealand by 7 wickets.

In the second Twenty20 match on Saturday in Rawalpindi, left-armers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Amir shared five wickets to restrict New Zealand to a meager 90 runs before Mohammad Rizwan led the chase and helped Pakistan win.

  

The visitors were dismissed after being sent in to bat after only 18.1 overs, with Shaheen leading the assault with 3-13 and Amir, making his comeback to international cricket after almost four years, finishing with 2-13.

Rizwan finished with 45 not out off 34 balls with a six and four boundaries to ensure Pakistan chased down a modest target in 12.1 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

The first match, also in Rawalpindi, was washed out after just two deliveries on Thursday.

Although Usman Khan (seven), Babar Azam (14), and Saim Ayub (four) all claimed wickets for New Zealand, Muhammad Irfan Khan (run-a-ball 18) and Rizwan (seven) put up an unbeaten 36-run stand to secure the win.

On the opening ball of the innings, Ayub hit a boundary and then gave bowler Ben Lister a return catch. Meanwhile, opposing captain Michael Bracewell stumped Azam, and spinner Ish Sodhi bowled Usman.


Amir had earlier startled New Zealand in the first overs after making his comeback to international cricket after almost four years away.

After being dismissed from the team in 2020, Amir unexpectedly ended his career. This was his second professional interruption following a five-year ban for spot-fixing in 2010.

In the shortest format of the game, New Zealand was bowled for their second-lowest score against Pakistan after spinners Abrar Ahmed (2-15) and Shadab Khan (2-15) increased the pressure.

The only batters to reach double figures were Tim Seifert (13), Dean Foxcroft (13), Cole McConchie (15), and Mark Chapman (19).


Chapman scored three boundaries off of 16 balls.

The lowest T20I total for New Zealand against Pakistan is 80, achieved in Christchurch in 2010.

In his first game since suffering a shoulder injury in September of last year, fast bowler Naseem Shah took 1-27 in four overs.

Both sides are getting ready for the Twenty20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and the United States in June.

Many of New Zealand's best players are out of the lineup because they are injured, participating in the ongoing Indian Premier League, or both.

The final two games will be played in Lahore on April 25 and 27, with the remaining matches taking place in Rawalpindi on Sunday.