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New Zealand’s Tim Southee has become the first bowler to bag 150 wickets in T20Is. The speedster reached the landmark with outstanding figures of 4/25 against Pakistan in the opening T20I at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday (January 12).
Southee's achievement came in the 18th over of Pakistan’s run chase. He dismissed Abbas Afridi, who was caught by Matt Henry at deep point, to take his third wicket of the game and became the first bowler with 150 T20I wickets.
The 35-year-old then dismissed Haris Rauf in the same over as Pakistan was bundled out for 180. He earlier dismissed dangerous-looking Mohammad Rizwan (25 runs off 14 balls) and Iftikhar Ahmed (24 off 17 deliveries).
Southee has now scalped 151 wickets in 118 T20Is at an economy rate of 8.12. Shakib Al Hasan and Rashid Khan are placed on the top three list for most T20I wickets, with 140 and 130 scalps, respectively. Ish Sodhi (127) and Lasith Malinga (107) are also in the top five list.
Tim Southee bags four wickets as New Zealand beat Pakistan by 46 runs
A clinical bowling performance from Tim Southee helped New Zealand beat Pakistan by 46 runs in the first T20I. Apart from Southee, Adam Milne and Ben Sears bagged two wickets apiece. Ish Sodhi settled for a solitary wicket.
Chasing 227, Pakistan were bundled out for 180 in 18 overs. Babar Azam starred with the bat, scoring 57 off 35, hitting two sixes and six boundaries.
Batting first, the Kiwis put up 226/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Daryl Mitchell and captain Kane Williamson smashed half-centuries. Mitchell slammed 61 off 27, including four sixes and as many boundaries.
Williamson scored a quickfire 57 off 42, comprising nine boundaries. Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, and Glenn Phillips contributed 34 (15), 26 (11), and 19 (11), respectively.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi and Abbas Afridi bagged three wickets apiece, while Haris Rauf took two wickets.
The action will now shift to Seddon Park in Hamilton for the second T20I on Sunday, January 14.
Click here to check out the full NZ vs PAK 1st T20I scorecard.
