Fakhar, Shehzad give Pakistan a flying start against NZ

Pakistan cricket team enjoyed their best opening partnership of the entire tour of New Zealand at Auckland’s Eden Park on Thursday, when Fakhar Zaman and Ahmed Shehzad shared a opening stand of 96 runs in 10 overs.

Fakhar Zaman was playing a blistering inning reached his fifty off 28 deliveries, including five boundaries and three sixes, before getting caught by Ish Sodhi from long leg.

Shehzad, who was making his first appearance in the entire tour, looked good, minting 44 runs off 34 deliveries, including six boundaries and one maximum, before giving away his wicket to Rance.

Pakistan had won the toss and elected to bat in the second Twenty20 against New Zealand. The visitors are down 1-0 and looking to reverse a form slump to keep the three-match series alive.

“It looks a good batting pitch so hopefully we can come up with a good score then defend it,” captain Sarfraz Ahmed said. “I’ve just told the boys ‘play your natural game, don’t worry about the result, we have nothing to lose’,” he added.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Bruce, Glenn Phillips, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Ben Wheeler, Ish Sodhi, Seth Rance, Trent Boult.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Amin, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Rumman Raees.