The BLACKCAPS showed their class in the opening GJ Gardner Homes T20I at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, downing Pakistan by seven wickets, to complete their 13th straight victory of the summer.
Stand-in captain Tim Southee (3-13) and Central Stags paceman Seth Rance (3-26) starred with the ball as Pakistan were bowled out for just 105 on a tricky pitch.
Player of the match Colin Munro (49*) anchored the awkward chase and with assistance from Tom Bruce (26) and Ross Taylor (22*), the target was run down with 25 balls to spare.
The series moves to Auckland for game two on Thursday, with the third and final contest at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, January 29th.
As it happened...
Captain Tim Southee - ‘We wanted to come out and take early wickets and we managed to do that’ #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/On3jqI8fg4
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Man of the Match Colin Munro - ‘I thought they bowled well. We had to adapt to the surface and we did that well’ #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/jbeD4MeZ4G
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
A 7-wicket win to the BLACKCAPS in the first GJ Gardner Homes T20I in Wellington 🙌
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Some superb late hitting from Ross Taylor (22*) & a controlled 49* from Colin Munro guides us through to the 106-run target with 25 balls to spare. Card | https://t.co/MgHaD9EmkS #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/kJ2nhxMY1z
A couple of lovely blows from Colin Munro helps the BLACKCAPS take 14 off the Nawaz over. Now 86-3 off 13.1 overs #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/fRE9ZJ1VKp
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Wicket. Bruce gets caught on the boundary and the BLACKCAPS lose their third. Taylor comes to the middle with the BLACKCAPS 57-3 #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/rtuicX6TJv
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Pakistan keeping things tight, with the BLACKCAPS 45-2 after nine overs, Hosts need 61 from 66 balls #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/Oer419md84
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Bruce and Munro looking to settle things down. BLACKCAPS are 28-2 after six overs #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/5Wnj5FyLKr
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Wicket. Pakistan get the early scalp of Martin Guptill who is caught off the bowling of Rumman. BLACKCAPS 3-1 #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/ZPX1mY1co1
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
New best T20I figures for Seth Rance (3-26) as Pakistan were bowled out for 105 in the 1st T20I at Westpac Stadium in Wellington #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/3Kphr86tjf
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Tale of the tape in the first innings - https://t.co/MgHaD9EmkS #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/snuKIjQum8
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
‘The guys took wickets up top and that really helped us’ - Mitchell Santner #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/XhNolDuWOK
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Pakistan bowled out for 105!
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Southee & Rance claim 3 wickets each and Santner 2. Very slick effort in the field by the lads 🙌#NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/BaIOvt1zuS
High-fives for the BCs as Hasan Ali's explosive cameo comes to an end on 23. Rance has his 2nd wicket - a superb catch by Southee under a sky-ball! Pakistan 85-8 with 3 overs to go. Card | https://t.co/MgHaD9EmkS #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/SGVwvM8r1z
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Tim Southee thriving with the captaincy!
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
He's claimed his 3rd wicket as Tom Bruce takes an excellent diving catch to dismiss Faheem Ashraf for 16 on @skysportnz Pakistan 53-7 #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/NxZfagxHlA
Oh no, things continue to go wrong for the visitors.
Sarfraz Ahmed slips and is stumped ... next ball is caught behind for a golden duck! 38-6 ... Santner's on a hat-trick! #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/unSc7Z8KOz— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Anaru Kitchen is in the middle of everything in Wellington!
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Two early catches and now a wicket as the dangerous Haris Sohail picks out Guptill at cover. Pakistan 24-4 after the opening 6 over PP. Card | https://t.co/MgHaD9EmkS … #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/YW7NYxoeE7
A third one down and it's captain Tim Southee again 🌟
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
He now has 15 wickets against Pakistan in T20I's, equalling his best against any nation, alongside West Indies. Pakistan in trouble at 17-3 in the 5th over. #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/NBNaUEqB35
Bowlers on-song early as Southee & Rance claim the Pakistan openers, courtesy of a couple of great grabs by Anaru Kitchen! 10-3 after three overs. Card | https://t.co/MgHaD9EmkS #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/LURVFQTIcT
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
BLACKCAPS XI: Guptill, Munro, Phillips, Bruce, Taylor, Kitchen, De Grandhomme, Santner, Southee (c), Sodhi, Rance #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/y6QzAFxGet
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
The BLACKCAPS have won the toss and opted to bowl first at Westpac Stadium! #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/W8fMwT4oNu
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Crowd building in Wellington as the weather looks like it will play ball for a 4pm start at Westpac Stadium. Toss not far away! #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/m39yyVFIK4
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 22, 2018
Inside line ahead of the opening T20I?
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 21, 2018
📰 = https://t.co/895Hixs5Ld #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/iJEXYG9Fa9
