NZ vs. PAK: New Zealand wins the Twenty20 series 3-0 thanks to a record-tying 16 sixes from Finn Allen.
By surpassing Brendon McCullum’s total of 123, Allen achieved the greatest score by a New Zealander in Twenty20 Internationals and tied the global record set by Hazratullah Zazai of Afghanistan with 16 sixes in an innings.
In the third Twenty20 international on Wednesday, Finn Allen struck a world record-tying 16 sixes in an innings of 137 off 62 balls as New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 45 runs to establish a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
After breaking Brendon McCullum’s 2012 total of 123 against Bangladesh, Allen achieved the greatest score by a New Zealander in Twenty20 internationals and matched the global record set by Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai, who struck 16 sixes in an innings.
Having been sent in by Pakistan for the third time in the series, New Zealand made 224-7.
Pakistan lost by 46 runs when it attempted to chase 227 in the opening game of the series and by 21 runs when it attempted to chase 195 in the second game. Pakistan was unsuccessful in both instances. Pakistan was held to 179-7 on Wednesday.
Babar Azam’s third successive half century of the series—his sixth in a row when batting at No. 6 in T20 internationals—was the sole shining moment. In the sixteenth over, Babar was out for fifty-eight, and the chase was already completely lost.
When Hazratullah struck 162 from 62 balls against Ireland in 2019, he broke the record for most sixes.
Two of Allen’s sixes traveled over a hundred meters; one went over the rugby field’s crossbar and between its uprights, right next to the University Oval. Three were struck so hard that the ball had to be replaced because it could not be located.
Haris Rauf was particularly hard hit by him; after giving up just two runs in his opening over, he let up 28 and 23 in his following two overs. Major League Cricket teammates Rauf and Allen play for the San Francisco Unicorns.
It was enjoyable. Allen stated, “I just tried to play good cricket shots and have a solid foundation.” My focus has been on creating a strong platform and foundation so that I can build from there and hit the ball where it should go.
It’s all about choosing bowlers and my moments when it’s time to leave. I’ve been attempting, I believe, to just play the ball on its merits and where it’s supposed to go.
As Shaheen Shan Afridi bowled the second and third balls in the third over, Allen struck successive sixes to start his record total. After hitting 6, 4, 4, 6, 1, and a wide off Rauf in the sixth over, New Zealand finished the sixth-over power play at 67-1.
Allen scored fifty runs off of just twenty-six balls, including three fours and five sixes. At 107 meters, his six off Nawaz was the longest he had ever hit. 103-1 was New Zealand’s score after ten overs.
Allen scored 125 runs for the second wicket (61 balls) with Tim Seifert (31) after reaching his second T20 international century off of 48 balls with 11 sixes.
At 203-4 in the eighteenth over, Allen was eventually removed.
Pakistan never really gained enough momentum to get close to such a large sum. It lost Muhammad Rizwan following a 39-run partnership with Babar and Saim Ayub early.
Babar made an effort to continue the run chase, but he was unsupported and none of his alliances was strong enough to lead Pakistan to victory.
As it prepares for this year’s World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean, Pakistan has only triumphed in one of its last eight Twenty20 internationals.