Mohammad Amir shines as Pakistan skittle out New Zealand for 90 in T20I win

Mohammad Amir made a triumphant return to international cricket as he led Pakistan to a dominant seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second T20I in Rawalpindi. The 32-year-old, who recently announced his availability for the upcoming T20 World Cup, showcased his skills by taking 2-13 from his three overs, including a wicket from his second ball.

Amir was well-supported by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Abrar Ahmed, who all put in impressive performances with the ball as New Zealand were bowled out for just 90 runs, their second-lowest T20 total against Pakistan. In reply, Mohammad Rizwan played a crucial innings, scoring an unbeaten 45 off 34 balls to guide Pakistan to victory in just 12.1 overs.

New Zealand, missing several key players due to their commitments in the Indian Premier League, struggled to cope with Pakistan’s experienced bowling attack. Mark Chapman was the top-scorer for the tourists with 19 runs as they were bowled out in 18.1 overs.

The win puts Pakistan 1-0 up in the five-match series, with Rawalpindi set to host the third game on Sunday before the series moves to Lahore for the remaining matches. Pakistan will also face England in a T20 series next month as part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup in June.

Overall, it was a convincing performance from Pakistan, with their bowlers setting the tone early on and their batsmen finishing the job with ease. The team will be looking to carry this momentum forward as they aim for success in the upcoming tournaments.