Despite losing his first T20I series as captain of the Pakistan men’s team, fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi defended his teammates, especially Haris Rauf and Saim Ayub. Pakistan were handed a 45-run thrashing in the 3rd T20I in Dunedin on Wednesday, January 17 as the visitors conceded an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the 5-match series to New Zealand.

Finn Allen lit up the University Oval, smashing the highest T20I score by a New Zealand batter in men’s T20I. He hit a world record 16 sixes for his 62-ball 137 as Pakistan bowlers, barring Zaman Khan and Mohammad Wasim Jr. travelled the distance.

NZ vs PAK, 3rd T20I: Highlights

Haris Rauf had a forgettable outing as he conceded 60 runs in his 4-over quota, picking up 2 wickets. Rauf’s spell turned out to be one of the costliest for a Pakistani bowler in T20I history. His expensive spell contributed significantly to New Zealand’s formidable total, as they posted a mammoth score of 224 for 7. Rauf’s lack of control and inability to contain the Kiwi batsmen was met with criticism from fans and analysts alike.

However, Shaheen Afridi pointed out that the ground dimensions are small and anybody can have a bad day with the ball. New Zealand’s Matt Henry also conceded 51 runs in his spell of 4 overs.

When you win then people say you’re the best player; when you lose then people say you can’t do anything. Today, Matt Henry went for 50-plus runs, and he’s New Zealand’s best bowler. This sometimes happens in T20 cricket on such small grounds. We do think that we didn’t bowl well collectively. Haris was hit for runs on good balls too, but he’s our best bowler and has the most wickets for Pakistan,” Shaheen Afridi said after Pakistan’s 3rd T20I defeat.

The batting lineup of Pakistan also failed to rise to the occasion. Despite a promising start by captain Babar Azam, who scored a brisk 58 off 37 deliveries, the rest of the batting order could not maintain the required momentum. The team’s chase was initially steady, reaching 95 for two in the 11th over. However, the innings quickly unraveled as Pakistan lost four wickets for just 39 runs, derailing their pursuit of New Zealand’s target. The middle and lower-order batsmen were unable to forge any meaningful partnerships or accelerate the scoring rate when it was most needed.

Young opener Saim Ayub, whose inclusion forced Babar Azam to drop to No. 3, has not grabbed his chances as he has managed just 38 runs in 3 T20Is so far in New Zealand.

“Saim can be a very big star. He has the ability and hunger to do well for Pakistan. He always gives his best, even in the nets. In these conditions, it’s not always easy for a young kid. We need to give him some time,’ Shaheen said.

New Zealand’s bowlers capitalized on Pakistan’s faltering batting, with Tim Southee taking two crucial wickets and maintaining pressure throughout. The collective failure of Pakistan’s batsmen to build on the foundation laid by Babar Azam ultimately led to their downfall, as they ended their innings at 179 for 7, well short of the target.