New Zealand beats Pakistan by 5 wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the T20 international cricket series

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) — Tim Seifert blasted 45 from 22 balls and Finn Allen hit 38 from 16 as New Zealand cruised to a five-wicket win over Pakistan Tuesday in a rain-shortened second Twenty20 cricket international.

Captain Salman Ali Agha made 46 as Pakistan reached 135-9 in a match reduced to 15 overs per innings after a delay for a wet outfield.

Shaheen Shan Afridi then bowled a maiden to start New Zealand’s innings. But Seifert and Allen hit seven of the next 12 balls for sixes as New Zealand launched an assault which helped them clinch the match and a 2-0 series lead with 11 balls remaining.

Seifert and Allen hit five sixes apiece as New Zealand sped towards its target. After the scoreless opening over Allen cleared the boundary on the first, third and sixth balls of the second over, then Seifert struck sixes from the first two and the last two deliveries of the next over as New Zealand raced to 44-0.

New Zealand began its innings needing 136 runs from 90 balls. By the end of the five-over power play that target had been reduced to 70 runs from 60 balls. New Zealand was 87-2 when Allen followed Seifert to the pavilion in the seventh over.

“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 made an unbeaten 21 to steer New Zealand home and Bracewell hit a four off Jahandad Khan for the winning runs.

New Zealand won the toss and was eager to bowl first on a pitch at the University Oval which had been covered and looked fresh with patches of grass.

Jacob Duffy, who took 4-14 in the series-opener which New Zealand won by nine wickets on Sunday, removed Hasan Nawaz with the fourth ball of the match.

The New Zealand bowlers were too full at first and Pakistan reached 19-1 before Ben Sears came on in the fourth over and dismissed Mohammad Haris with his first delivery.

Sears, who missed the Champions Trophy with injury, used bounce effectively and Haris sliced his first delivery to Duffy at third man.

Pakistan was 36-2 after the five-over power play.

Salman took 12 runs including a 75-meter (yard) six from the sixth over bowled by Jimmy Neesham, lifting Pakistan to 48-2.

But spinner Ish Sodhi dismissed Irfan Khan (11) and Khushdil Shar (2) with the fourth and sixth balls of the seventh over as Pakistan slipped to 52-4.

Salman stepped up the pace, taking 10 from the eighth over bowled by Sears and 13 from the ninth bowled by Sodhi which lifted Pakistan to 76-4. But he fell in the next over, caught by Mark Chapman at deep mid-wicket off Sears.

Shadab (26) took up the attack, hitting Sears for six in the 10th over while 14 came from the 11th over bowled by Bracewell. He hit a six and a four from Duffy in the 12th before holing out to cow corner.

Shaheen Shah Afridi made 22 from 14 balls as Pakistan added 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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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

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