April 25, 2024
New Zealand took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series in the wake of overcoming Pakistan by four runs as the last option neglected to pursue a 179-run focus in the fourth T20I played at Lahore's Gaddafi Arena on Thursday.
The two sides will take on one another in the last match to be hung on April 27.
Pakistan battled toward the beginning of the pursuit with commander Babar Azam (5) returning to the structure in the second finished.
Youthful hitters Saim Ayub (20) and Usman Khan (16) pushed to bat forcefully yet were excused one after another.
Fakhar Zaman was joined by Shadab Khan (7) in the center however the all-rounder couldn't recreate his heroics from the last game.
Fakhar kept on remaining from one end while Iftikhar Ahmed banded together with him. The couple added 61 runs however William O'Rourke struck in a vital snapshot of the pursuit to put the home side on the back.
The guests continued stacking up the tension by eliminating set-hitter Fakhar, who scored 61 off 45 balls.
All-rounder Imad Wasim (22*) tried to take Pakistan across the end goal till the last conveyance yet the home side missed the mark by four runs and completed at 174/8.
O'Rourke was the pick of the bowlers for the Dark Covers, picking three wickets for 27 runs while Ben Singes took two for similar number of runs.
Prior, New Zealand posted a sum of 178/7 in the wake of being placed into bat first.
The guests had a blasting beginning from openers Tim Robinson and Tom Blundell. The couple made 56 runs for the main wicket before Zaman Khan had the better of Blundell, who made 28 runs off 15 balls fueled by five fours.
Robinson kept the charge from the opposite end with Senior member Foxcroft going along with him in the center. The 21-year-old came to his most memorable T20I fifty preceding being excused on 51 by Abbas Afridi with the assistance of Iftikhar Ahmed, who took an incredible catch on the limit.
The home side ruled in the center over by bowling calm overs and oversaw wickets of last match legends Imprint Chapman and Foxcroft.
Shadab Khan took a mind blowing catch to excuse Chapman (9) on the bowling of Iftikhar Ahmed while Foxcroft (34) was scattered by Usama Mir.
New Zealand commander Michael Bracewell hoped to build the strike rate in the last overs yet he was unable to stretch out beyond the arrangement of the Pakistan bowlers.
Bracewell, who made 27 off 20, was eliminated by Abbas while Josh Clarkson's stumps were shaken on the accompanying conveyance. The arising pacer completed as Pakistan's best bowler, guaranteeing 3/20.
The guests completed on 178/7 with Mohammad Amir eliminating Ish Sodhi on the last chunk of the innings.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Zaman Khan.
New Zealand: TA Blundell (wk), TB Robinson, D Foxcroft, MS Chapman, JDS Neesham, Michael Bracewell (c), JA Clarkson, Ish Sodhi, JA Duffy, BV Singes, W O'Rourke.