The Kiwis are up 1-0 in the five-match T20 series. They bowled Pakistan out for just 91 runs in 18.4 overs, then chased it down in only 10.1 overs with just one wicket down.
After the win, NZ skipper Michael Bracewell chatted about the match. He loved the crowd and joked about how tough it was to hold back Kyle Jamieson, who was eager for his fourth over. Bracewell thinks NZ might have held Pakistan to an even lower score if he’d let Jamieson finish his overs sooner.
Here’s what Bracewell said:
It was a great day in front of a great crowd. We’ve played against the pacers domestically, so having them on the same team was super hard for Pakistan, and they just couldn’t bounce back. I had to hold Kyle back for his 4th over – he was ready to go! It’s always tough to rotate the bowlers, especially in T20s. Maybe we could’ve restricted them to a lesser score if I’d bowled him out earlier.
Player of the match Kyle Jamieson also commented on the game, saying it felt amazing to be back home and that he enjoyed the bowling conditions. He gave props to his teammates, saying they have amazing depth and guys who know how to make the most of these conditions. He shouted out Jacob Duffy, his bowling partner in the powerplay, and Zakary Foulkes.
Here’s Jamieson’s take:
It was nice to be back on home soil with conditions that worked well for us. Duff and I will always take conditions like these, and it was good to cash in. We expect some chaos in T20s, some balls flying out of the ground, so it was nice to get these conditions and keep the seam upright. It made our job easy, and it was a great team showing. We have a good group of players with depth and guys who can really take of the conditions; it was a nice team win. Jacob Duffy did a great job at the start and the end, and Zak Foulkes too. It was just a great overall showing from the bowlers.
Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson’s quick bowling didn’t let Pakistan, led by Salman Agha, start their thing with fearless cricket as they hoped. The visitors got crushed by nine wickets in the first T20I. The team had three new players – Hasan Nawaz and Abdul Samad, who were out for single digits, and Mohammed Ali.
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