Black Caps grounded by loss

You can’t win them all, but for a while this summer, it seemed like the Black Caps were giving it a good crack.

They tasted defeat for the first time since early November on Thursday, in the second Twenty20 against Pakistan, a result which has set up a series decider in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

The hosts were outplayed in every aspect of the game by the tourists, who now have a chance to go home with some silverware, despite beginning their visit with six losses in six outings.

The Black Caps’ record winning streak has ended at 13 matches – a run of success that began in the test series against the West Indies prior to Christmas, but is now one for the history books.

Kane Williamson praised Pakistan’s performance after Thursday’s match at Eden Park, and was sure the bad result wouldn’t leave his men too down.

‘‘Winning and losing is part of sport,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s been a good run in terms of a series of wins, but in losing there’s always a lot to learn, and it’s important that it sits you back down, and you go back to doing the basics really well, which, to be fair, I think we have done quite well.

‘‘We haven’t looked at winning every game and trying to get some sort of record, that hasn’t really bothered us.

‘‘We’ve just wanted to play the cricket that we have done.

‘‘Today we weren’t at our best, that’s the game, we want to do better next time.’’

Williamson labelled Pakistan’s performance – by far their best on tour – as outstanding.

‘‘They came out and played really positively, put us under pressure,’’ he said.

‘‘If I’m being honest we probably bowled a few bad balls that they certainly pounced on and that gave them a lot of momentum.

‘‘Credit to the way they played today. They were great with the bat, the ball, and in the field.’’

With the bat Pakistan posted 201-4 and with the ball they dismissed the Black Caps for 153 to claim a comprehensive 48-run victory.

Williamson suggested it was a display that had been coming hinted at in fits and spurts earlier in the tour, but finally fully on show at the seventh time of asking.

‘‘We’ve played good cricket throughout [this tour] and we’ve had to,’’ he said.

‘‘Today we didn’t and that’s what happens when you play a strong side like Pakistan. They were very positive today in everything that they did and we just weren’t that good in any of our areas.’’

Pakistan’s total was the third highest in 14 T20 internationals at Eden Park, behind a pair of 214s by Australia and England.

The highest previous successful chase at the ground was of 160, by the Black Caps against Zimbabwe in 2012, and after stumbling early, they never looked like eclipsing it on this occasion.

Fakhar Zaman was a standout for Pakistan, blasting 50 off 28 opening the batting, and getting them off to their first good start on this visit.

Asked if his side now believed they could go on and win the series, his answer was simple.

‘‘Of course. Yes.’’