Pakistan thump New Zealand in Babar Azam's 100th T20 international

Sports Mail24
Published: 12:06PM. 15 Apr 2023
Pakistan thump New Zealand in Babar Azam's 100th T20 international

Pakistan celebrated skipper Babar Azam's 100th international match in the shortest format with a clinical 88-run win in the first Twenty20 against New Zealand in Lahore on Friday.

Azam failed with just nine runs but Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub scored 47 runs each and put on a 79-run partnership for the third wicket to anchor Pakistan to 182 all out in 19.5 overs.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, one of five players who returned after being rested in Pakistan's last series against Afghanistan, took career best figures of 4-18 as New Zealand were 94 all out in 15.3 overs.

Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim finished with 2-2 in his only over -- taking both his wickets off successive deliveries.

Mark Chapman top-scored with 27-ball 34 inclusive of four boundaries and a six while skipper Tom Latham made 24-ball 20.

Rauf's previous best T20 figures of 4-22 had also come against New Zealand in Sharjah in 2021.

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