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'Unfortunately, We...,' Shaheen Afridi After Second Consecutive Loss Against NZ

image-lrdd6wrzShaheen Afridi (Image Source: Twitter)

New Zealand beat Pakistan in the second T20I by 21 runs at Seddon Park on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the ongoing five-match T20I series.  Once again, New Zealand batted first and posted a formidable score of 194 runs on the board. Pakistan fought hard but were bundled out for 173 runs, thereby, falling short of 21 runs in the end. 

Speaking at the post -match presentation, Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Afridi felt that his team couldn’t build pressure early on and pick early wickets at the start of the innings, which eventually cost the match.  

“Bowling first you can look for swing and look for wickets early. Unfortunately, we missed out on that today. If we would have taken 1 or 2 wickets then their score would have been 170 - 180. We didn't start the way we want."  Shaheen Afridi said. 

Afridi, however, credited the likes of Haris Raud, M Nawaz, and Usama Mir for pulling the game back in the latter half of the innings. 

“Our bowlers bowled well after 10 overs. We struggled in first 10 overs but the way Haris and Nawaz bowled was really good and Usama Mir bowled really well." Afridi added. 

Finn Allen laid the foundation with a blistering 74-run knock

New Zealand opener Finn Allen provided the team with a rollicking start as he blazed his way to a match-winning knock of 74 runs in just 41 deliveries. His fireworks in the first half of the innings helped them reach the 100-run mark inside 10 overs. 

However, once he got out, New Zealand lost momentum and wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Pakistan came back fighting in the second half, conceding only 83 runs in the final 10 overs. 

Haris Raud finished as the pick of the bowlers after taking as many as three wickets in the 18th over and it was followed with a 7-run final over from Shaheen Afridi. 

In pursuit of the target, Pakistan lost both the openers in the first two overs. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, once again, led the recovery by stitching an 87-run partnership for the third wicket.  

The southpaw played a blistering knock of 50 off just 25 balls but his wicket in the 10th over triggered a collapse. The likes of Iftikhar Ahmed (4), Azam Khan (2), and Aemar Jamal (9) failed to hit the straps as Babar Azam was left stranded disappointedly on the other hand. 

The former Pakistan skipper eventually got out in the 18th over after scoring 66 off 43 balls. Shaheen Afridi also played a little cameo of 22 runs but it didn’t prove enough. 

The third T20I is due to be played on Wednesday at University Oval in Dunedin.