Pakistan vs. New Zealand, 1st T20I: Highlights, Scorecard and Report

Pakistan won the first Twenty20 International with a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan, who won the toss and chose to field at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, restricted their opponents to 135-7 in their 20 overs.

The de facto hosts polished off the total with five balls to spare as Sarfraz Ahmed scored a career-high 76 not out.

The Kiwis lost captain Kane Williamson—for a first ball duck—Anton Devcich and Ross Taylor in the opening three overs.

Martin Guptill and Corey Anderson put on 46 for the fourth wicket as NZ recovered to 61-4 at halfway, despite the loss of the opener for 32, bowled through the gate by Shahid Afridi.

Anderson and Luke Ronchi then shared a half-century partnership before the former departed in the 16th over after hitting four sixes in a 37-ball 48.

Ronchi went for 33 in the final over as the innings petered out with just 25 runs coming in the final five overs.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
Guptill		b Shahid Afridi	32	45	30
Williamson	lbw	b Anwar Ali	0		1
Devcich	lbw	b Tanvir	1	3	5
Taylor	c U Akmal	b Irfan	4	5	5
Anderson	c Nasim	b Raza Hasan	48	55	37
Ronchi		b Tanvir	33	41	28
Neesham	c U Akmal	b Irfan	6	12	9
N McCullum	not out		1	6	3
Milne	not out		2	3	3
Extras		1nb 4w 2b 1lb	8
Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Anwar Ali		2	0	15	1
Tanvir		4	0	24	2
Irfan		4	0	27	2
Raza Hasan		4	0	24	1
Hafeez		2	0	15	0
Shahid Afridi		4	0	27	1

Awais Zia and Sarfraz put on 51 for the opening wicket in eight overs before the former was run out for 20 after Devcich fired in a throw from point.

Mohammad Hafeez was also run out for just two as Pakistan reached 60-2 at halfway, but Sarfraz was defiant, hitting eight boundaries and two sixes in his innings.

Umar Akmal finished 27 not out, sealing the match in style by hitting the opening delivery of the last over, from James Neesham, for six.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
Sarfraz Ahmed	not out		76	93	64
Zia	run out (Devcich)		20	37	21
Hafeez	run out (Ronchi)		2	6	4
Sohail	c N McCullum	b McClenaghan	11	22	12
U Akmal	not out		27	22	14
Extras		0nb 2w 1b 1lb	4
Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Henry		4	0	31	0
McClenaghan		4	0	21	1
Milne		4	0	18	0
Devcich		2	0	19	0
N McCullum		4	0	26	0
Anderson		1	0	17	0
Neesham		0.1	0	6	0

After a drawn Test series, the teams are playing two T20 internationals and three limited overs matches.