Will runs flow at Eden Park Twenty20?

Twenty20. Eden Park. Small boundaries. Big scores. It’s a simple formula that sets an expectation.

When the Black Caps play Pakistan there on Thursday, in the second of three T20 internationals, many will be anticipating a deluge of runs.

In the first-ever T20 international there, 13 years ago next month, Australia set a benchmark, blazing 214 on the back of an unbeaten 98 by Ricky Ponting.

But in 12 matches since, the 200 barrier has only been broken once more, five years ago, when England also made 214.

The average first-innings total at the ground is 166. Seven teams have won batting first, with the lowest defended total 165. Two matches have been tied, with the teams batting first making 126 and 155. And four targets have been chased down, all of them smaller than 160.

So 160, or eight runs an over, is probably all a team needs.

Eight runs an over is hardly boring, but it’s not quite as exciting as it could be, and no-one knows that better than Colin Munro, the Black Caps’ big-hitting opener.

‘‘I think that’s what the public wants to see,’’ he said.

‘‘An 180 to 200 sort of wicket. ‘‘Sometimes the wicket here is an unbelievable surface, and sometimes it’s a little bit holdy, so we’ll just have to see what happens [on Thursday].’’

Eden Park may be a special venue for the All Blacks – they haven’t lost there since 1994 – but it has delivered a mixed bag for the cricket side.

In one-day internationals, visiting teams have won 35 and lost 34, while in T20s, they have won six and lost five, a record the Black Caps will be eager to turn around, with as many as three T20s there this summer.

Pakistan have been an improvement on the West Indies team who preceded them, but only slightly.

They have two chances remaining to end the Black Caps’ dominance, and in a format known for its variability, they are in with a chance.

‘‘I think they’re a pretty unpredictable team,’’ said Munro of the tourists. ‘‘When they come out and play to their potential, they can beat anyone, and you can see that in the results that they’ve had.

‘‘If we focus too much on their strengths and weaknesses then it takes away what we’re good at. We’ll just focus on ourselves and make sure we prepare well at training. T20, it’s a lottery sometimes, so we’ll just go out there and play and have some fun and see what happens.’’