'Very special to achieve hat-trick': Matt Henry

LAHORE: New Zealand cricketer Matt Henry feels that his teammates had a lot to learn from the first T20I despite losing the game to Pakistan by 88 runs in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

New Zealand was bowled out for 94 in 15.3 overs replying to Pakistan’s total of 182. Matt Henry starred for Kiwi's bowling with a hat-trick.

In an exclusive chat with Geo News following the first T20I, Henry said that it was special to achieve the milestone of the T20I hat-trick but having it in a losing cause was disappointing.

“Very special, to achieve hat-trick, and to do it here, was very cool, it's always a shame when you record a milestone like that in a losing cause but nevertheless it is a special one I suppose not many people have done it in New Zealand. So, it's pretty cool to be in that company,” he said.

Henry first dented Pakistan's progress in the 13th over with the wickets of Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed off back-to-back deliveries. He returned in the 19th over to dismiss Shaheen Afridi off the first ball to complete his hat-trick.

Henry finished with 3/32, his career-best figure in T20Is and also became just the fourth New Zealand bowler to take a hat-trick in men's T20Is. 

Jacob Oram was the first to do so for New Zealand, he was followed by Tim Southee, Michael Bracewell and now Matt Henry.

Henry said that although the start of the series is not ideal for New Zealanders, they’re hopeful of making a comeback in the five-match series.

“Not ideal to have a defeat like there in the first match but it is a five-match series and I think going into our next game, we will be definitely better, just assessing the conditions and I think a lot of people will learn a lot from these game as well,” he said.

“That's a challenge of international cricket, isn't it? I mean, the schedule's very much busy. And I think we can't control it and I think for us we definitely knew what we're coming into. I think that a lot of guys will take some really good learning from this game and hopefully, we can implement them and so it's going to be a really quick turnaround when we'll be back here to have another game,” he said when asked if tight schedule and limited opportunity to train ahead of the series was any problem for the touring side.

Replying to a question, the cricketer said that he feels that in the bowling his side was “really good in periods” but added that “we still can probably adjust a little bit and be a little bit more just accurate".

“I think it was a couple we can just tighten the screws a little bit but as a whole, it was good, like I said, the guys are just going to really learn a lot from the information they would have gathered from this wicket and be able to take that into the next game plan for the next game,” he said.

He also praised the crowd in Lahore during the first T20I saying that “the crowd was awesome.”

“It was very noisy and very passionate. We're really enjoying our stay here in Pakistan and the people have been absolutely lovely,” he concluded.