After suffering heavy defeats in the first two matches of the T20 series, Pakistan made a stunning comeback in the third match at Eden Park, Auckland, defeating New Zealand by 9 wickets. The highlight of the match was Hasan Nawaz’s explosive century, which helped Pakistan chase a massive target of 205 runs in just 16 overs.
Hasan Nawaz’s Record-Breaking Century
- Hasan Nawaz played an unbeaten knock of 105 runs off just 45 balls, smashing 10 fours and 7 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 233.33.
- He became Pakistan’s fastest T20I century scorer, reaching the milestone in just 44 balls.
- This was only the third T20I match of his career, making his achievement even more remarkable.
- His opening partnership with Mohammad Haris (41 off 20 balls) laid the foundation for the chase, adding 74 runs in just 35 balls.
- After Haris’s dismissal, captain Salman Agha played a steady knock, scoring 51 off 34 balls* with 6 fours and 2 sixes.
Pakistan’s Historic Chase
- Pakistan became the first Asian team to chase down a 200+ total in T20Is at a run rate of 12.93.
- The only team to achieve a higher run rate while chasing a 200+ score was South Africa (13.75 against West Indies in 2023).
New Zealand’s Batting Performance
- Mark Chapman played a blistering innings of 94 runs off 44 balls, guiding New Zealand to 204/6 in 20 overs.
- Glenn Phillips and Tim Seifert contributed with quickfire cameos to push the total beyond 200.
Pakistan’s Bowlers Deliver Under Pressure
Despite New Zealand’s big total, Pakistan’s bowlers stepped up with a solid performance:
- Haris Rauf led the attack with 3 wickets for 29 runs in 4 overs.
- Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed took 2 wickets each.
- Abbas Afridi and Shadab Khan also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
