NZ vs PAK: Jacob Duffy’s dream debut puts Twitter in overdrive

The first T20I between New Zealand and Pakistan took place on Friday at the Eden Park with both the sides missing their superstar players. Mitchell Santner led the Kiwis while Pakistan clearly missed their regular skipper Babar Azam who has been ruled out of the entire series with a thumb injury.

New Zealand’s debutant Jacob Duffy ran through Pakistan’s top-order after they opted to bat first. He sent back the likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Hafeez with not much on the board to reduce the visitors to 20/4 in the fifth over itself. Ish Sodhi then trapped Khushdil Shah to put them into deeper trouble at 39/6 in the 9th over.

Shadab Khan, the stand-in skipper, then took control of the proceedings to first add 40 runs with Imad Wasim and then 35 runs with Faheem Ashraf. Shadab took the attack to Sodhi hitting him for two sixes in his final over while Ashraf also disturbed Duffy’s figures smacking him for runs in his last over.

His assault propelled Pakistan to a fighting total of 153 runs for the loss of nine wickets after 20 overs. Duffy on his T20I debut recorded astonishing figures of 4/33.  Later, New Zealand got to the target in the 19th over and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Pakistan struggling with the bounce of @edenparknz . What a start from @Jacobduffman27 ! #PakvsNz

— Grant Elliott (@grantelliottnz) December 18, 2020

Who else?! Your @ANZ_NZ Player of the Match – Jacob Duffy ?? #NZvPAK #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/KVZEWkP0pi

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 18, 2020

4️⃣ overs
3️⃣3️⃣ runs
4️⃣ wickets

A Player of the Match on debut for Jacob Duffy ? #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/9pRhki3oez

— ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2020

Best bowling figures by New Zealand player on T20I debut

4/33 – Jacob Duffy v PAK, today
3/20 – Nathan Astle v SA, 2005
3/20 – Jeetan Patel v SA, 2005
3/30 – Seth Rance v WI, 2017
3/31 – Michael Bates v ZIM, 2012#NZvsPAK

— Stat Doctor? (@stat_doctor) December 18, 2020

My gosh what was that ?

Jacob Duffy firing all cylinders in his debut with ball and with his fielding

What an unbelievable effort that was but is that really conclusive to overturn umpire decision

Nonetheless that was goosebumps stuff

Fielding is in their DNA ?#NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/YYyF23iQZH

— Captain Kane (@SteadyTheShip) December 18, 2020