NEW DELHI: Tim Seifert smashed 45 off 22 balls, while Finn Allen struck 38 from 16 as New Zealand secured a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in a rain-shortened second Twenty20 international on Tuesday. Captain Salman Ali Agha top-scored for Pakistan with 46 as they posted 135-9 in a 15-overs-per-side contest, following a delay due to a wet outfield.
Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled a maiden to open New Zealand’s innings, but Seifert and Allen quickly counterattacked, hitting seven of the next 12 deliveries for sixes. Their explosive hitting propelled New Zealand to a 2-0 series lead, sealing the match with 11 balls to spare.
Seifert and Allen each smashed five sixes as New Zealand surged towards their target. After the scoreless opening over, Allen cleared the boundary on the first, third, and sixth balls of the second over. Seifert followed up by launching sixes from the first two and last two deliveries of the next over, pushing New Zealand to 44-0.
Chasing 136 from 90 balls, New Zealand had reduced their target to 70 off 60 by the end of the five-over powerplay. At 87-2, Allen departed in the seventh over, following Seifert back to the pavilion.
“There’s not too much conversation out there to be fair,” Seifert said.
“It’s just about backing our skills and putting pressure on the bowlers when we can.”
Mitchell Hay remained unbeaten on 21, guiding New Zealand home, while Bracewell struck a four off Jahandad Khan to seal the win.
New Zealand had won the toss and opted to bowl first on a fresh-looking University Oval pitch, which had remained covered before the game.
Jacob Duffy, who claimed 4-14 in the first match—where New Zealand cruised to a nine-wicket win—removed Hasan Nawaz with the fourth ball of the innings.
Pakistan initially made steady progress, reaching 19-1, but New Zealand’s bowlers found their rhythm. Ben Sears, returning from an injury that kept him out of the Champions Trophy, struck immediately, dismissing Mohammad Haris with his first ball in the fourth over. Haris edged the delivery to Duffy at third man as Sears effectively used his extra bounce.
Pakistan stood at 36-2 at the end of the powerplay.
Salman counterattacked, taking 12 runs off Jimmy Neesham’s sixth over, including a 75-meter six, moving Pakistan to 48-2.
However, leg-spinner Ish Sodhi made a breakthrough in the seventh over, dismissing Irfan Khan (11) and Khushdil Shah (2) off the fourth and sixth deliveries, reducing Pakistan to 52-4.
Salman attempted to lift the scoring rate, collecting 10 runs from Sears’ eighth over and another 13 from Sodhi’s ninth over, pushing Pakistan to 76-4. But his resistance ended in the next over, when he was caught by Mark Chapman at deep mid-wicket off Sears.
Shadab Khan (26) carried on the attack, smashing a six off Sears in the 10th over and helping Pakistan add 14 runs from Bracewell’s 11th over. He struck a six and a four off Duffy in the 12th before holing out to cow corner.
Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed 22 off 14 balls as Pakistan managed 25 runs from the last three overs.
“It was a better game than last game,” Agha said.
“We batted better but we still need to be better finishers.”
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