New Zealander Matt Henry hit a Pakistani pitch with a hat-trick in the 1st T20I. Look

Matt Henry scored a two-over hat-trick in the first T20I match against Pakistan in Lahore and joined an elite group of New Zealand bowlers. Henry blew Pakistan’s serve in the 13th round with Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed wickets for consecutive deliveries. Latham caught Shadab on the penultimate ball of the over and Itihar dropped the next ball, getting close to the goalkeeper again. Henry returned on the 19th over to dismiss Shaheen Afridi from the first ball, brilliantly caught by Daryl Mitchell near the ropes from the first ball of the over.

Shadab Khan
Iftikhar Ahmed
Shaheen Afridi

Matt Henry’s hat-trick on the first T20I at GSL. #PAKvNZ | #CricketMubarak pic.twitter.com/h6bZP6O1hM

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 14, 2023

Henry finished with 3/32, the best of his career in the T20I, and also became the fourth New Zealand bowler to score a hat-trick in the men’s T20I. Jacob Oram was the first to do so in 2009 with a hat-trick against Sri Lanka. The wagon then became the second player to score a hat-trick in the men’s T20I. Tim Southey joined him on the list the following year against Pakistan.

Since then, there have been no New Zealand bowlers on the list for 12 years until Michael Bracewell scored a hat-trick against Ireland last year.

Henry now joins the three players on the roster after his spell in Lahore.

Pakistan lost 182 matches, while Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub scored 47 goals each.

However, Henry’s efforts were in vain, as New Zealand, chasing a goal of 183, lost by a measly sum of 94.

Haris Rauf posted a career best 4-18 as Pakistan took the win by 88 runs.