Salman Agha opens up after defeat in first T20I against New Zealand

CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan's T20I captain Salman Ali Agha shared his thoughts after the team's disappointing performance in the first T20I match against New Zealand on Sunday at Hagley Oval.

In the post-match conference, Agha acknowledged that the team had not been at their best and that the defeat was hard to digest. 

He expressed his thoughts, saying, "It was difficult, we weren't up to the mark, but we need to regather (ahead of Dunedin). They bowled really well, in great areas, there was a bit of seam movement as well. We will sit down, have a chat and think about the next game."

The middle-order batter also praised the performances of Pakistan's three debutants in the match, highlighting their potential. 

"We had three debutants, the more games they play, they'll learn more. The new ball does a bit in New Zealand, we've good bowlers and we'll look to do well in the next match," he said.

The Blackcaps beat the Men in Green by nine wickets in the first T20I of the five-match series, courtesy of a dominant performance by the openers.

Chasing 91, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen displayed exceptional batting from the start, putting on a 53-run stand inside the powerplay, showcasing their brilliance with the bat.

Seifert was heading toward yet another half-century in the T20I format but fell short, dismissed for 44 off 29 deliveries by Abrar Ahmed, leaving the score at 53-1 in 5.5 overs.

Tim Robinson then joined Allen and eased the pressure, helping chase down the target in the 11th over, giving New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the series. Finn Allen scored an unbeaten 29, while Robinson made 18 runs.

For Pakistan, spinner Abrar Ahmed was the only bowler to take a wicket, while the other bowlers failed to make an impact.

After being asked to bat first, Pakistan struggled against a disciplined New Zealand bowling attack and were bundled out for 91, with Kyle Jamieson leading the charge by picking up crucial wickets.

Pakistan's innings got off to a disastrous start, with just one run on the board before they lost three quick wickets. Jamieson dismissed Mohammad Haris for a duck, while Irfan Khan managed only a single run.

Debutant Hasan Nawaz also fell cheaply, out for a second-ball duck to Jacob Duffy, putting Pakistan under early pressure.

Vice-captain Shadab Khan failed to stabilize the innings, scoring just three runs off six deliveries before becoming Jamieson’s third victim. At 11-4 in 4.4 overs, Pakistan was reeling.

Skipper Agha Salman and Khushdil Shah put up some resistance with a 46-run stand for the fifth wicket, attempting to steady the innings. However, their efforts weren’t enough, as Ish Sodhi dismissed Agha for 18 runs off 20 balls, leaving Pakistan at 57-5 in 11.1 overs.

Khushdil, who looked aggressive, was the only batter to provide some fireworks, scoring 32 runs, including three sixes. However, his innings was cut short in the 13th over when Duffy struck again, reducing Pakistan to 64-6.

Pakistan kept losing wickets cheaply as another debutant, Abdul Samad, became Sodhi's second victim, dismissed for seven off 12 deliveries, leaving the team reeling at 80-7 in 15.3 overs.

Zakary Foulkes dealt Pakistan their eighth blow by dismissing Jahandad Khan, who managed 17 runs, increasing the pressure with the team struggling at 85-8.

Shaheen Afridi struggled to add runs before being dismissed by Duffy for just one, leaving the team at 89-9 in 18.1 overs.

Abrar Ahmed was the last to fall as Pakistan wrapped up their first innings, falling just nine runs short of 100.

Jacob Duffy stole the spotlight with four wickets, followed by Kyle Jamieson with three, Ish Sodhi with two, and Zakary Foulkes with one.