New Zealand Dominates Pakistan in First T20I at Christchurch

In the opening match of the five-match T20I series, New Zealand showcased a dominant performance against Pakistan at Hagley Oval. Opting to bat first, Pakistan’s innings faltered early, finding themselves at a precarious 3 wickets down for just 3 runs. Both teams fielded revamped line-ups for this series. Notably, Pakistan rested key players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, while New Zealand’s squad was without several frontline players due to Indian Premier League commitments. Despite the early setbacks, Pakistan managed to post a total of 130 runs, thanks to a resilient middle-order effort. In response, New Zealand chased down the target comfortably, securing a victory by 5 wickets with 28 balls remaining. This win gives New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the series, with the second T20I scheduled at the same venue in two days.