Lahore - New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 4 runs in the thrilling third T20I to stay alive in the five-match T20I series here at the crowded Gaddafi Stadium on Monday night. Pakistan struggled from the start, losing wickets at regular intervals and were struggling at 7-88. However, Iftikhar Ahmad and Rana Faheem Ashraf, in their eighth-wicket partnership, put up a fight, scoring 61 runs and thrilling the home crowd.
At this crucial stage, Faheem Ashraf was dismissed by Matt Henry at a total of 149-8 in the 18.3 overs, while Iftikhar continued to entertain the crowd with his brilliant display, scoring 60 runs off 24 balls, including three fours and six sixes. With the responsibility on pacers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, they failed to score the necessary five runs in the last two balls, resulting in New Zealand emerging as the winner of the thriller by four runs. James Neesham clinched three wickets for 38 runs while Rachin Ravindra bagged 2 for 28 and Adam Milne 2 for 37. Earlier, New Zealand’s skipper Tom Latham smashed a crucial half-century to propel his team to a defendable total of 163-5.
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The 3rd T20I was a must-win for New Zealand as they trailed 2-0 in the five-match T20I series and they succeeded to achieve their task. Latham’s unbeaten knock of 64 runs off 49 balls, which included seven boundaries and two sixes, helped anchor the innings. Latham shared a 65-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell, who scored a quick 33 off 26 balls. In the last five overs, New Zealand managed to add 51 runs to their scorecard, thanks to Mark Chapman’s unbeaten knock of 16 runs off just 9 balls. Pakistan’s lanky pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, playing his 50th T20I, took claimed two wickets for 33, while Haris Rauf picked up two wickets for 31 and Shadab Khan got one wicket for 34. Pakistan won the first two matches comprehensively, but New Zealand made two changes for the third T20I, with Adam Milne and Ish Sodhi returning to the side. In contrast, Pakistan rested Zaman Khan, with Naseem Shah replacing him. The remaining two matches of the T20I series are on april 20 and 24 in rawalpindi.
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