New Zealand claimed victory over Pakistan by nine wickets during the first T20I of the five-match series held at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on March 16, 2025. The home team showcased dominant batting and impressive bowling, marking a strong start to the series.
Chasing a modest target of 91 runs set by Pakistan, New Zealand's openers, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, put on a thrilling display of batting. They quickly established momentum with a remarkable 53-run partnership during the powerplay. Seifert seemed on the verge of another half-century, contributing 44 runs off just 29 balls before being dismissed by Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed, leaving the team's first loss at 53-1 after 5.5 overs.
Finn Allen finished unbeaten on 29 runs, and Tim Robinson helped finish the chase with 18 runs, steering New Zealand to victory within the 11th over, taking them to a 1-0 lead in the series.
For Pakistan, the day began poorly as they stumbled to 91 all out after being asked to bat first. Kyle Jamieson led New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack by taking three wickets, severely crippling the opposition’s chances of building any solid foundation.
Pakistan's innings faced immediate trouble; just one run on the board when they lost three quick wickets, with Jamieson dismissing Mohammad Haris for naught and Irfan Khan managing only single digits. Debutant Hasan Nawaz followed suit, falling for another duck to Jacob Duffy, pushing Pakistan under immense pressure at 11-4 within the first five overs.
Although vice-captain Shadab Khan could do little to stabilize the innings with just three runs off six deliveries, skipper Agha Salman and Khushdil Shah offered some resistance with their 46-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Yet their efforts were thwarted when Ish Sodhi dismissed Salman after he scored 18 runs off 20 balls, leaving Pakistan at 57-5 after 11.1 overs.
Khushdil Shah, who provided some semblance of aggression with his innings, scored 32 runs, including three sixes, but his short-lived innings ended when Duffy once more struck, reducing Pakistan to 64-6 after 13 overs.
The slide continued for Pakistan as debutant Abdul Samad could only manage seven runs before becoming Sodhi's second victim, leaving them at 80-7 at 15.3 overs. Zakary Foulkes then dismissed Jahandad Khan for 17 runs, ramping up the pressure at 85-8. Pakistan's woes deepened when Shaheen Afridi was dismissed by Duffy after scoring just one run, pushing the team to 89-9, leading to their eventual all-out at 91 runs.
Jacob Duffy was the standout performer for New Zealand, claiming four wickets, flanked by Jamieson's three and Sodhi's two, with Foulkes also making one breakthrough.
New Zealand's win establishes a solid foothold for their campaign against Pakistan. Captain Mark Chapman expressed his pride after the match, stating, "I’m really proud of how we executed our plans today." This reflects the team's thorough preparation and informed strategy coming to fruition on the field.
With both teams set to meet again shortly, New Zealand will seek to build on this momentum, aiming to carry forward their successful bowling strategy and solid batting performances. Pakistan, on the other hand, will need to regroup and address the batting failures to put up strong resistance against New Zealand’s formidable side.
Indeed, this match may serve as a wake-up call for Pakistan to reassess and strengthen their performance as they look to bounce back and level the series. For New Zealand, the challenge continues, but for now, they revel in their victory, delighting fans with what promises to be more exciting cricket to come.