Babar Azam’s half-century propelled Pakistan to their second win in the ongoing T20I tri-series on Saturday, edging past New Zealand by six wickets in Christchurch. After getting the better of Bangladesh in the opening game, the Men in Green showed their dominance ov♌er the hosts as well.
Batting first, the Black💙 Caps could hardly step on the gas, mostly because of a brilliant fast bowling by Haris Rauf, who conceded 28 runs and scalped the🌟 big wickets of Mark Chapman, James Neesham and Michael Bracewell.
Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Chapman scored 36, 31 and 32 respectively. The♕ir 30+ scores took New Zealand total to 147-8.
Azam – who went on to stay unbeaten on 79 off 53 with 11 fours – after the match said that his rapid 61-run stand with Shadab Khan for the third wicket gave an insight to a tactic they could employ at the upcoming T20 World Cup, with the all-rounder promoted up the order.
“We have a plan to send Shadab up to charge the bowlers, to utilise his skills. He played very well.
“Me and Shadab planned that I play all the way and he will go for his shots,” said the Pakistan skipper.
In the T20I Triও-series, New Zealand will next play Bangladesh on Sunday (October 9) before meeting Pakistan again on Tuesday (Octoberꦫ 11).
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Babar Azam 🔥
What a treat to watch his drives 👏🏻— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat)
🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰❤️
— MAWRA HUSSAIN (@MawraHocane)
👏👏 Dear Pa🎶kistani cricket fans! Feel yourself to be blessed for having Babar Azam as your captain. Other teams crave for having matchwinners like Babar Azam play for their country. Such legend☂ary batters who define their own class are born after decades.
— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_)
Visiting Players in SENA T20Is
500 runs – 10 Players
500 runs + 50 Avg – Babar Azam*— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket)
Brilliant batting by Babar Azam,played with a strike rate of 149 and took PAK to victory. Change in batting order sending Shadab at no 4 also helped PAK to achieve 🍒the target, well done Pakistan
— Mirza Iqbal Baig (@mirzaiqbal80)
Commanding innings – Babar Azam producing a special innings in a chase for the umpteenth time
— Emmad Hameed (@Emmad81)
Babar Azam has now h⛦it the winning shot 5 times in his T20I career.
Only Pakistani to hit more is Shoaib🌌 Malik (10 times). Asif Ali has hit it 4 ti📖mes while Afridi and Hafeez have hit it 3 times each.
— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi)
"Alexa play Haris Rauf"
Alexa : He can't be played he's unplayable— Haroon (@ThisHaroon)
Haಞris Rauf has got 62 wickets in 49 T20Is, this is the most by any bowler since debut of Haris Rauf in January 2020. Also🍷, this is jointly the most aggregate wickets by a Pakistani fast bowler after 49 T20Is, Umar Gul also had 62 in 49.
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani)
Interesting stat: Haris Rauf has a better econ at the death (last 4 overs) in 🔯international T20s than franchise & domestic T20s. In T20Is his economy is 8.14. In franchise + domestic it is 9.38.
— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq)
