Pakistan’s Tour of New Zealand (4th T20)
In a commanding display, New Zealand secured victory against Pakistan with a comprehensive 7-wicket win in the fourth T20 International. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips’ brilliant third wicket stitch up helped curb the Pakistani bowlers, winning the match with 11 balls to spare.
After being put into bat, Pakistan faced an early setback with the loss of opener Saim Ayub. However, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan managed to stabilized the innings with a 51-run partnership for the second wicket. Despite struggling to find boundaries, a late surge from Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Rizwan, who scored a brilliant 90 off 60 deliveries, helped Pakistan post a competitive total of 158 for 5.
In response, New Zealand’s chase started poorly, with Shaheen Afridi taking two wickets in the very first over. Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Will Young departed quickly, leaving the hosts at 20 for 3 inside three overs. However, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips turned the tide with a phenomenal 139-run partnership for the third wicket. Despite the Pakistani bowlers starting well, they lost their way in the middle overs, and poor fielding efforts added to their woes. Mitchell and Phillips remained unbeaten with scores of 72 and 70, respectively, guiding New Zealand to victory with ease.
With this win, New Zealand take an unassailable 4-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series, showcasing their dominance over Pakistan with the T20 World Cup around the corner. Pakistan, on the other hand, faced challenges with their bowling attack and fielding, which have been key contributors to their struggles in the series. As the team’s head into the final match, Pakistan will look to salvage some pride, while New Zealand aims for a clean sweep.
Chief Scores :
Pakistan – 158 for 5 in 20 overs (Mohammed Rizwan 90*, Mohammad Nawaz 21*, Babar Azam 19, Matt Henry 2 for 22, Lockie Ferguson 2 for 27, Adam Milne 1 for 49)
New Zealand – 159 for 3 in 18.1 overs (Daryl Mitchell 72*, Glenn Phillips 70*, Finn Allen 8, Shaheen Afridi 3 for 34, Mohammad Wasim Jr. 0 for 24, Haris Rauf 0 for 29)
