On Tuesday, New Zealand’s explosive openers delivered a sensational performance, overpowering Pakistan by five wickets and claiming a 2-0 lead in their Twenty20 series.

Chasing a rain-shortened target of 136 runs, the home team sealed victory with 11 balls to spare in Dunedin, dominating the second match after Pakistan managed 135 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 15 overs.

The highlight of New Zealand’s innings was the thrilling opening partnership between Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, who combined to unleash a barrage of sixes early on, with seven of their first eight scoring shots clearing the ropes.

Seifert managed to negotiate a maiden over from Shaheen Shah Afridi at the start before Allen launched into Mohammad Ali’s second over, hitting three sixes in quick succession. Seifert followed suit, smashing 26 runs in Afridi’s next over, which included four massive sixes.

Having top-scored with 44 runs in their previous win in Christchurch, Seifert departed for 45 from just 22 deliveries. Allen soon followed, contributing 38 off 16 balls, with both openers hitting five sixes each.

Middle-order collapses saw four wickets tumble in four overs, but Mitch Hay’s unbeaten 21 ultimately secured the team’s victory.

Earlier, Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha led from the front with a solid 46 runs off 28 balls after a shaky start saw them lose Hasan Nawaz for a duck for the second time in the series. They were precariously positioned at 19-2 in the fourth over, but Agha’s innings included four fours and three sixes to stabilize the innings. Shadab Khan added 26 off 14 balls, and Afridi contributed with a quick 22 not out off 14.

On the bowling side, four New Zealand bowlers took two wickets each, with seamer Ben Sears and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham returning to the lineup in place of Tim Robinson and Kyle Jamieson.

With the series potentially on the line, New Zealand will look to clinch it in the next match scheduled in Auckland on Friday.

Teams: New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Hay, Michael Bracewell (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears, Jacob Duffy.
Pakistan: Mohammad Haris, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammed Ali.

Rapper Hanumankind recently had a special moment as he met Virat Kohli at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Unboxing event at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The rapper, who has gained popularity with tracks like Big Dawgs, shared a picture with Kohli on Instagram, capturing the heartfelt moment.

In the post, Hanumankind expressed his admiration for the cricket legend, captioning the photo, “Met the GOAT today.” The image showed both the rapper and Kohli dressed in RCB jerseys, sharing a warm hug.

RCB’s Unboxing event and Kohli’s special request

The RCB Unboxing event took place on March 15, 2025, ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Kohli, along with the rest of the RCB squad, attended the event, engaging with fans and making an important announcement.

See Instagram Post here :

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHTn8-RTMok/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=62d8adbd-ae02-47b6-bfc1-3a1c23271a04

During the event, Kohli introduced Rajat Patidar as RCB’s new skipper, urging fans to support the young leader. He expressed confidence in Patidar’s leadership, encouraging fans to show their love and support as the franchise enters a new phase.

Hanumankind’s rising fame in the music industry

Rapper Sooraj Cherukat, widely recognized by his stage name Hanumankind, has been making waves in the Indian hip-hop scene. Some of his popular tracks include Namma Stories, Go To Sleep, Maadeva, Rush Hour, and DAMNSON. His meeting with Kohli added another memorable moment to his journey, as fans from both the cricket and music communities celebrated the interaction.

Adelaide was struck by tragedy as Pakistani-origin cricketer Junaid Zafar Khan collapsed and died on the pitch during a local turf cricket match amid soaring temperatures. The incident occurred over the weekend during a match between Old Concordians and Prince Alfred Old Collegians at Concordia College, Adelaide.

Death on the pitch due to extreme heat

Junaid Zafar Khan, who moved to Australia from Pakistan in 2013, was batting for Old Concordians when he suddenly collapsed. At the time, the temperature had reportedly reached 41.7 degrees Celsius. Paramedics attempted to revive him, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

His club, Old Collegians, expressed their grief in a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of a valued member of the Old Concordians’ Cricket Club, who tragically suffered a medical episode while playing on the Concordia College oval today. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he sadly did not survive. Thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time.”

Tributes pour in for Junaid Zafar Khan

Junaid, who worked in the tech industry after moving to Adelaide, was remembered fondly by his friends and colleagues. His close friend Hasan Anjum described his passing as a “big loss.”

“It’s a huge loss, he was destined for very big things in his life,” Anjum told The Advertiser.

Heatwave triggers safety concerns in cricket

The Adelaide Turf Cricket Association (ATCA) bylaws require matches to be canceled if temperatures exceed 42°C during play. However, under special playing regulations, games can continue when temperatures are up to 40°C.

Junaid’s death has sparked a debate over heat guidelines in Australian cricket, with growing calls for a review of existing regulations to prioritize player safety.