The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is going on in full flow at the moment. However, on the sidelines, New Zealand's tour of Pakistan got underway on Friday in Lahore. The Kiwi team is set to play five T20Is and as many ODIs on this tour. While not many are aware of the happenings in this encounter, the New Zealand pacer Matt Henry has certainly made them take notice with a sensational performance with the ball. He picked up a hat-trick with the ball ending with the figures of 3/32 even as Pakistan won the first of the five-match T20I series with a massive margin of 88 runs.
Henry's hat-trick was split into two overs picking up wickets of Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed off successive deliveries in the 13th over of the innings. He then came back at the death in the 19th over to send back Shaheen Afridi. Daryl Mitchell and Chad Bowes' team effort made it happen with a stunning catch at the boundary line. Unfortunately, for New Zealand, that was the only bright spot in the encounter.
They skittled Pakistan for 182 runs with Saim Ayub and Fakhaz Zaman being the top-scorers with 47 runs to their name. Apart from Henry, Adam Milne and Ben Lister picked up two wickets each while James Neesham and Ish Sodhi scalped a wicket each. In response, New Zealand never looked like chasing down the target with wickets falling at regular intervals. Mark Chapman was the only player who fought tooth and nail with a 34-run knock but the Kiwis were not even close to Pakistan's score in the end.
The visitors were bundled out for just 94 runs in the 16th over of the innings. Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler picking up 4/17 while Imad Wasim also shone with the ball picking up 2/2 in the only over he bowled.
