New Zealand began their T20I series against Pakistan in fine form, limiting the visitors to a double-figure total which they easily chased.
Michael Bracewell admitted New Zealand could have restricted Pakistan to an even lower score as they secured a dominant nine-wicket victory in the first match of their T20 series.
Pakistan, in their first game under new captain Salman Ali Agha, were bowled out for 91 – their lowest T20I total in New Zealand – with the hosts cruising to their target with 9.5 overs spare in Christchurch.
Both openers, Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz, were lost for ducks and Pakistan went 11-4, their lowest at the fall of the fourth wicket in a T20I.
Jacob Duffy (4-13) and Kyle Jamieson (3-8) kept the scoring down, with only three Pakistan batters hitting double figures in a dismal display – Khushdil Shah was their highest scorer with 32.
Tim Seifert (44) was New Zealand’s only loss in the chase, with Finn Allen (29 not out) and Tim Robinson (18 not out) getting the hosts over the line with little fanfare.
Michael Bracewell was delighted with the team’s performance and acknowledged they could have registered an even bigger victory if Jamieson, who recorded his best figures in T20Is, had been allowed to bowl his fourth over earlier.
“To have them [the pacers] in the same team, it was super difficult for them [Pakistan] and they couldn’t recover,” Bracewell said.
“[We] had to hold Kyle back for the fourth over. He was ready and at the top of his mark, it was difficult to keep them off the attack.
“Maybe we could have restricted them to a lesser score if I had bowled him earlier, but it’s always a challenge to rotate the bowlers around, especially in shorter formats like the T20s.”
Pakistan managed just one run before three wickets had fallen – courtesy of Ifran Khan Niazi – which was also a new low point for the team.
They recorded the joint-third lowest powerplay total of 14-4 in T20Is amongst the top 10 teams, with the lowest being 13 by the West Indies in 2013 and Pakistan themselves in 2014.
It was a poor start for Agha, who accepted Pakistan were not at the level needed on Sunday.
“It was difficult, we were not up to the mark, but we need to regather [ahead of Dunedin, 2nd T20I],” he said.
“They bowled really well, in great areas, and there was a bit of seam movement as well.”
The second T20I of the five-match series will take place in Dunedin on Tuesday.
