During the 2nd T20I match against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s vice-captain and wicketkeeper batter, achieved a notable milestone by hitting his 77th T20I six, setting a new record for the national team. This feat surpassed the previous record held by former captain Mohammad Hafeez, who had 76 maximums.
Rizwan’s record-breaking six came in the first over of the chase against New Zealand, bowled by Tim Southee. Despite the historical achievement, Pakistan faced a setback in the match, suffering a 21-run defeat against the home team in the second game of the five-match T20I series.
Most sixes by Pakistani batters in T20I
| Player | Matches | 6s |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 87 | 77 |
| Mohammad Hafeez | 119 | 76 |
| Shahid Afridi | 98 | 73 |
| Shoaib Malik | 123 | 69 |
| Umar Akmal | 84 | 55 |
Chasing a target of 195 runs, Pakistan encountered challenges despite a crucial partnership between Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, contributing 87 runs. However, Fakhar’s departure after scoring 50 runs left Pakistan vulnerable. The middle-order batsmen, including Iftikhar Ahmed and Azam Khan, failed to provide the required finish as they were dismissed early.
Babar Azam emerged as the sole warrior, taking responsibility for guiding the team’s batting lineup. Scoring 66 runs, he displayed positive batting but his dismissal in a crucial phase shattered Pakistan’s hopes. The team was eventually bowled out for 173 runs in 19.3 overs, leading to New Zealand securing a 2-0 lead in the T20I series.
With this loss, Pakistan is now on the verge of losing the series unless they can secure a victory in the upcoming games. Despite Rizwan’s individual achievement, the team aims to regroup and bounce back in the remaining matches to salvage the series against New Zealand.
