New Zealand’s Tim Seifert put on a show in the second T20I against Pakistan, showcasing his power-hitting skills by taking Shaheen Shah Afridi to the cleaners. Seifert’s onslaught included four sixes in an over, which helped the home side cruise to victory in the run-chase of a modest 136.
After Afridi bowled a maiden to start the innings, Seifert came out swinging in his second over. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed the left-arm speedster for four consecutive sixes, with the over yielding 26 runs and putting New Zealand in a commanding position. Afridi’s figures at the end of the over read 2-1-26-0, a stark contrast to his earlier economical bowling.
Finn Allen had already set the tone for the run-chase by hammering three sixes in the second over bowled by Mohammad Ali. Seifert’s explosive innings came to an end when he was dismissed by Ali for a quickfire 45 off just 22 balls. Despite losing a few wickets, the Black Caps easily chased down the target in just 13.1 overs, securing a five-wicket victory and taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
Pakistan, who were bowled out for 91 in the previous game, put up a slightly better performance in the second T20I, scoring 135 in their allotted 15 overs. Salman Agha top-scored with 46, while Shadab Khan and Afridi made valuable contributions. However, their total proved insufficient as New Zealand comfortably chased it down.
The third T20I between the two teams is scheduled for March 21 in Auckland. With the Black Caps in dominant form, Pakistan will have to come up with a strong performance to bounce back in the series. Stay tuned for more exciting cricket action in the upcoming matches.