New Zealand defeated Pakistan comfortably in the second T20I of the five-match series to extend their lead to 2-0 on Tuesday (March 18). In the rain-hit 15-over per side encounter, the Kiwis chased down the 136-run target in just 13.1 overs with five wickets in hand as Tim Seifert and Finn Allen went berserk opening the innings.

It was Seifert who tore apart Pakistan’s best bowler Shaheen Afridi in the third over of the innings, smashing him for 26 runs including four sixes. In the second over, Finn Allen smacked three sixes as the tally of maximums in the first three overs of the innings went to seven. This is a record among major teams in the shortest format of the game even as only the Philippines have hit more sixes than them in this phase in the history of the format.

Philippines smashed eight sixes against Indonesia in 2023 in the first three overs of their innings while the BlackCaps almost matched their feat against Pakistan today at the University Oval in Dunedin courtesy of the Seifert-Allen duo.

As far as the match is concerned, Pakistan fared much better than the first T20I with their skipper Salman Ali Agha and deputy skipper Shadab Khan stepping up with the bat. While Agha smashed 46 runs off 28 deliveries with four and three sixes, Shadab’s cameo of 26 runs helped them post 135 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 15 overs.

Pakistan began their defence well with Shaheen Afridi bowling a maiden first over. However, Seifert and Allen went berserk after that to leave the bowlers of the visiting clueless. The onslaught went on till 4.4 overs when Seifert was dismissed with 66 runs on the board. New Zealand lost a total of five wickets but they were very much ahead in the chase and were never in trouble as they took a 2-0 lead in the series.