Pakistan set unwanted records with defeat in first New Zealand T20I

The Pakistan cricket team faced a crushing nine-wicket defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the first PAK vs NZ T20I on Sunday.

After being put to bat first at the Hagley Oval, the tourists’ opening pair Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz fell for a duck each.

Irfan Khan only managed to score just one run before his dismissal, leaving Pakistan struggling at 1/3 in 2.2 overs in the first PAK vs NZ T20I.

Allrounder Khushdil Shah scored 32 runs followed by captain Salman Agha who added 18 runs to the total. Pakistan were bundled out for 91 in 18.4 overs – their fifth-lowest score in the T20I format.

New Zealand chased down the target over the loss of just one wicket and 59 balls to spare.

Read more: New Zealand crush Pakistan in 1st T20I with 9-wicket victory

The defeat in the first PAK vs NZ marked Pakistan’s worst in the format in terms of balls remaining.

Their previous worst was a nine-wicket defeat against Australia in 2018 when the Pakistan cricket team was defeated by nine wickets and 55 balls to spare.

Pakistan’s biggest T20I defeats while batting first:

Margin       Balls remaining    Opposition       Venue           Year

9 wickets        59               New Zealand    Christchurch    2025

9 wickets        55                  Australia        Harare             2017

7 wickets        52                  Australia        Hobart             2024

The 91-run total in the game also became Pakistan’s lowest-ever total against New Zealand in T20Is, surpassing their previous record of 101 runs set in Wellington in 2016.

The two sides are set to depart for Dunedin to play the second PAK vs NZ T20I of the five-match series on Tuesday.