Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said he was proud to lead his team against New Zealand while stressing that they have to improve their catching. New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 46 runs to take a 1-0 lead in their 5-match T20I series.
NZ vs PAK, 1st T20I: Highlights
Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson were the stars of the show for New Zealand as they posted 226 for 8 in the first innings. Williamson scored a 42-ball 57, while Mitchell smashed 61 runs off 27 balls to take their side to a strong total.
In reply, Babar Azam scored a half-century for Pakistan while Saim Ayub hit a blistering 8-ball 27 but could not guide Pakistan to the target. They were eventually bundled for 180 runs in 18 overs, falling short by 46 runs.
Speaking after the match, Afridi said it’s a moment of pride and honour to captain the team against New Zealand. Afridi took over white-ball captaincy from Babar following Pakistan’s under-par display at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“It’s a moment of pride to captain the team, and it’s an honour for any player to lead their country. Our performance was commendable, and we aim to continue giving our best in the upcoming games. Both Williamson and Mitchell displayed outstanding skills,” said Afridi.
He went on to hail the performances of Ayub and Abbas Afridi, while stressing that the team needs to improve their catching. Pakistan dropped two catches in the first T20I with Babar and Iftikhar Ahmed making catching errors in Auckland.
“Improving our catching is essential, and that’s an area we’ll focus on. Ayub’s solid performance and Abbas’s impressive debut are positive aspects. Moving forward, precision and utilizing variations will be crucial for our success,” Afridi added.
Having lost the first T20I, Pakistan will gear up to face the Kiwis in the second match of the series at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday, January 14.
