‘Befitting reply to strike-rate brigade’ – Babar Azam silences critics with spectacular 100 against New Zealand in 2nd T20I

The second T20I of the ongoing five-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand was held in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday. It is the home side, led by Babar Azam, who emerged victorious with a thumping 38-run win. Pakistan now take a commanding 2-0 lead over the Kiwis and are just a win away from taking an unassailable lead.

It was Babar who won the toss and elected to bat first. The familiar opening pair Mohammad Rizwan and Babar stood up yet again for the Men in Green with a resounding partnership of 99 runs. Rizwan was the first to depart in the 11th over, scoring 50 runs off 34 balls.

Babar, on the other end, stood firm and remained unbeaten until the end to score a spectacular hundred, which was his third in T20Is. However, there was little support from the middle order once the opening partnership was broken. Both Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub at no. 3 and no. 4 respectively were dismissed for 0. However, Iftikhar Ahmed provided the much-needed finishing touches with a blistering 33 runs off 19 balls. Pakistan finished with a total of 192 for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs.

The pick of the New Zealand bowlers was Matt Henry, who got the wickets of Rizwan and Fakhar, conceding only 29 runs in four overs. Rachin Ravindra also played his hand with a spell of 1 for 22 in four overs.

Haris Rauf too hot to handle for New Zealand batters

New Zealand, with a stiff target in hand, started off slowly, with neither of the openers – Tom Latham and Chad Bowes getting a move on. Consequently, skipper Latham had to depart for 19 runs off 20 balls and Bowes for 26 runs off 24 balls. The Kiwis kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and it just looked improbable with the visitors needing 81 off the last five overs.

The only New Zealand batter who looked comfortable coping with the Pakistan bowling attack was Mark Chapman, who came in at no. 4. He remained unbeaten and scored 65 runs off 40 balls to help New Zealand play out the 20 overs. The star with the ball on the day was the pacer Haris Rauf, who picked up four wickets for 27 runs in four overs.
Here is how fans reacted to Babar’s hundred: