NZ vs PAK: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has retired hurt from the New Zealand vs Pakistan 2nd T20I after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring. Williamson was batting on 26 in the first innings of the contest in Hamilton before he went off the field and missed the remainder of the game.
According to New Zealand Cricket, Williamson's hamstring tightness occurred in the 10th over of the first innings while he was completing a run. He was attended by a physio but walked off and will not return as a precautionary measure.
"Kane Williamson will not return to the field in KFC T20I 2 in Hamilton as a precautionary measure after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring while completing a run in the 10th over and retiring hurt," New Zealand Cricket wrote on X. In place of the right-handed batter, fast bowler Tim Southee leads the side for the remainder of the game.
After he went off, Daryl Mitchell came in and began in the same fashion as he left in the previous game. Mitchell smashed one four and a six but got out on 17 as Abbas Afridi cleaned him up. The Kiwis stumbled at the end and managed to score 194 after looking to cross 220 at one stage. Finn Allen was on song as he scored 74 from 41 balls to power New Zealand to 137 in 12.4 overs before he got out to Usama Mir. The Blackcaps then lost wickets in bunches with no notable partnerships to end up being short of 200.
Pakistan's Playing XI:
Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Aamer Jamal, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf
New Zealand's Playing XI:
Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears
