AUCKLAND: Fast bowler Jacob Duffy took 4-33 on debut for New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International against Pakistan on Friday to set up the home team’s five-wicket victory in the opening fixture of the three-match series at Eden Park here on Friday.

With the impetus Duffy gave its bowling performance, New Zealand had Pakistan reeling at 39-5 before restricting them to 153-9 after the tourists won the toss and batted.

Opener Tim Seifert made his fourth T20 half century to lead New Zealand’s chase as they reached victory with seven balls to spare. He had help from Mark Chapman, who made 34, and stand-in skipper Mitchell Santner, who was 12 not out at the end.

Pakistan’s attack made early inroads as two quick wickets from Haris restricted New Zealand to 72 for three at the 10-over mark.

Seifert brought up his half century off 35 balls but was out on 57 after a sharp catch from Faheem Ashraf, who then dropped an easy chance sitter to give Chapman a life.

Duffy, a right armer from Otago who generates late swing and bounce from an energetic action, took his first wicket with his fourth ball in international cricket and took two more with the fifth and sixth deliveries of his second over.

Always in the action, he missed his hat-trick from the first ball of his third over and was also denied a magnificent catch when he flew high at deep third man to grab a one-hander off fellow paceman Blair Tickner only for the television umpire to rule his hand had grazed the boundary rope.

Returning in the 18th over, Duffy took his fourth wicket by dismissing Pakistan captain Shadab Khan. At that stage, Duffy had figures of 4-13.

“There was a bit of hot and cold stuff in there,” man-of-the-match Duffy said. “To be honest, on debut I was just hoping not to get hit all over the park.”

The pitch at Eden Park was a quick one when it was used in the first T20 between New Zealand and the West Indies a month ago. But it was slower on Friday and, with the ball stopping, playing shots early was difficult.

Duffy and fellow New Zealand quicks Scott Kuggeleijn and Blair Tickner crowded the Pakistan batsmen with full deliveries and also surprised them with bounce. Determined to play their shots, the Pakistan top order batsmen gave up their wickets cheaply as they hit out before taking the pace of the pitch. Several fell to catches in front of the wicket as the ball held up.

Left-arm spinner Santner bowled the first over and Duffy had the first wicket in the second over when he drew a false shot from Abdullah Shafiq, who was caught at mid-on by Mark Chapman for a duck.

With successive deliveries in his next over he dropped a caught and bowled chance, then dismissed Mohammad Rizwan (17) and had Mohammad Hafeez first ball, caught at mid-on.

Kuggeleijn dismissed Haider Ali with the first ball of the next over to complete a team hat-trick three wickets in three balls. He also removed Imad Wasim (19) and Ish Sodhi got rid of Khushdil Shah (16) before Duffy returned to claim the wicket of Shadab, who was caught in the deep by Sodhi.

Shadab tried to rescue his side’s innings, smashing 42 from 32 balls before Duffy coaxed a top edge.

Pakistan were in trouble at 79-6 but Faheem Ashraf hit 31 from 18 balls to boost the total.

New Zealand also had nervous moments, falling to 2-21 before Seifert and Glenn Phillips (23) put the innings on an even keel. Seifert and Mark Chapman (34) then added 55.

Haris Rauf was Pakistan’s best bowler, taking three wickets for 29 runs.

Pakistan had a rocky preparation for the match when 10 of their touring party tested positive for Covid-19 during quarantine after arriving in New Zealand.

Players also received a rebuke from local health authorities for flouting social distancing rules, and were unable to train until they were allowed out of their hotel on Dec 8.

In contrast, New Zealand were coming off a 2-0 series win over the West Indies and playing in home conditions.

“We looked a little bit rusty out there,” Shadab, standing in for the injured Pakistan captain Babar Azam, admitted, saying the variable pace of the pitch made it tough for Pakistan’s batsmen. “We’ve had an international game now so definitely in the next game we’ll do better.”

The second and third T20s will be played in Hamilton and Napier on Sunday and Tuesday, with the first of two Tests starting in Mount Maunganui on Dec 26.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

M. Rizwan c Phillips b Duffy 17

Abdullah Shafiq c Chapman b Duffy 0

Haider Ali c and b Kuggeleijn 3

M. Hafeez c Chapman b Duffy 0

Shadab Khan c Sodhi b Duffy 42

Khushdil Shah c Guptill b Sodhi 16

Imad Wasim c Tickner b Kuggeleijn 19

Faheem Ashraf c Guptill b Tickner 31

Wahab Riaz c Santner b Kuggeleijn 9

Shaheen Shah Afridi not out 10

Haris Rauf not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-1, W-3) 6

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 20 overs) 153

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-20, 3-20, 4-20, 5-39, 6-79, 7-114, 8-136, 9-149.

BOWLING: Santner 4-0-18-0; Duffy 4-0-33-4 (1w); Kuggeleijn

4-0-27-3; Sodhi 4-0-37-1; Tickner 4-0-35-1 (2w).

NEW ZEALAND:

M.J. Guptill c Shadab b Shaheen 6

T.L. Siefert c Faheem b Shaheen 57

D.P. Conway c and b Haris 5

G.D. Phillips c Khushdil b Haris 23

M. Chapman lbw b Haris 34

J.D.S. Neesham not out 15

M.J. Santner not out 12

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-3) 4

TOTAL (for five wkts, 18.5 overs) 156

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-21, 3-65, 4-110, 5-129.

DID NOT BAT: S.C. Kuggeleijn, I.S. Sodhi, J.A. Duffy, B.M. Tickner.

BOWLING: Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-27-2 (2w); Imad Wasim 2-0-14-0; Haris Rauf 4-0-29-3 (1w); Faheem Ashraf 3-0-18-0; Wahab Riaz 3.5-0-45-0; Shadab Khan 2-0-22-0.

RESULT: New Zealand won by five wickets to lead three-match series 1-0.

UMPIRES: S.B. Haig (New Zealand) and W.R. Knights (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: C.M. Brown (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Jacob Duffy.

SECOND MATCH: Hamilton (N), Sunday (11:00am PST).

THIRD MATCH: Napier (N), Tuesday (11:00am PST).

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2020