Winning the toss, Pakistan chose to bat. Despite losing Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan early, they managed to get to 182, largely due to Fakhar Zaman (47 in 34 balls) and Saim Ayub (47 in 28). At the halfway stage, New Zealand seemed to be in the contest because the ball had been coming onto the bat decently. Rauf, though, had other ideas.

He came to bowl the final over of the powerplay, conceding a solitary run. Recalled into the attack in the 11th over, he accounted for Tom Latham straightaway. He bowled on a length on middle and off stump, and it skidded through, trapping the New Zealand skipper in front.

An over later, he bowled a very full delivery outside off stump that Jimmy Neesham could only guide to Shan Masood at backward point. His best, though, was perhaps reserved for No. 7 Rachin Ravindra, who was blown away by Rauf’s pace. The ball was angled into the stumps and Ravindra, because of the pace, could not get forward. He then had a waft at it and missed as the ball smashed into the stumps.

Still not done, Rauf returned to pick up New Zealand’s final wicket and helped Pakistan thump the Black Caps by 88 runs. The pacer also bagged his best-ever T20I figures in the process, scalping four wickets for 18 runs in 3.3 overs.

Watch Haris Rauf smashing the stumps en-route his career-best T20I figures:

Express pace from @HarisRauf14 to disturb the timber! 🎯#PAKvNZ | #CricketMubarak pic.twitter.com/bBnm7OHutP

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 14, 2023