Pakistan’s young T20I opener, Hassan Nawaz, hammered a record-breaking 44-ball century—the fastest by a Pakistani in T20Is—to lead his team to a dominant nine-wicket win over New Zealand at Eden Park. Chasing 205 on a batting-friendly pitch, Pakistan reached the target in just 16 overs. Nawaz’s fireworks were well-supported by captain Agha Salman (51* off 31) and Mohammad Haris (41 off 20). This win keeps the five-match series alive, with New Zealand still leading 2-1.

Chapman’s Heroics Propel New Zealand to 204

New Zealand looked set for another strong performance, led by a brilliant 94 off 44 balls from Mark Chapman. The new ball moved slightly, but conditions soon favored batting. Pakistan struck early with Haris Rauf’s stunning catch dismissing Finn Allen, followed by Tim Seifert’s wicket. Chapman, however, took control with a flurry of attacking strokes.

Despite little support from the top six, Chapman kept the momentum going. At one point, 220 looked achievable, but Pakistan’s bowlers triggered a collapse. Shadab Khan removed Daryl Mitchell, while Jimmy Neesham fell to Abbas Afridi. The key moment came when Shaheen Afridi dismissed Chapman, leaving New Zealand at 135/3.

Abrar Ahmed then tightened Pakistan’s grip, bowling Mitchell Hay and Kyle Jamieson with sharp googlies. The hosts slipped to 164/7 with five overs left. Michael Bracewell (31 off 18) and Ish Sodhi helped New Zealand pass 200, but they left crucial runs on the field.

Pakistan’s Explosive Chase Led by Nawaz

Pakistan started aggressively, with Haris smashing two sixes off Kyle Jamieson in the first over. Nawaz quickly found his rhythm, and the pair added 50 runs in no time. By the time Haris departed to a Jacob Duffy short ball, Pakistan had already reached 74 inside the Powerplay.

New Zealand tried to slow the chase, but Nawaz kept attacking. Captain Salman provided solid support, and with dew making bowling difficult, New Zealand struggled. A turning point came in the 10th over when Ish Sodhi dropped Nawaz on 68 at fine leg. That reprieve proved costly, as Pakistan capitalized and stormed to victory.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand: 204 in 19.5 overs (Mark Chapman 94; Haris Rauf 3-29, Abbas Afridi 2-24)
Pakistan: 207/1 in 16 overs (Hassan Nawaz 105*, Agha Salman 51*)
Result: Pakistan won by nine wickets