CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan won by 42 runs against New Zealand in the fifth and final T20 international against New Zealand in Christchurch on Sunday. The visitors’ spinners ran through hosts to pick up a consolation 42-run victory in the final Twenty20I and avoid a series clean sweep.
Pakistan lost the five-match series 4-1 but it finished on a positive note as they dismissed New Zealand for a paltry 92 runs in defence of 134-8.
.@IftiMania has three wickets!
Pakistan spinners are 🔛 a roll as New Zealand are 8️⃣ down 🔥#NZvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/xqKAboT3DJ
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 21, 2024
Iftikhar Ahmed produced career-best figures of 3-24 as New Zealand batting lineup struggled against him and were skittled for their 8th-lowest T20I total.
Lowest T20I total successfully defended in New Zealand 👏
Pakistan finish the T20I series on a high with a 42-run triumph in Christchurch. New Zealand claim the series 4-1.#NZvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/oKlVYNjhhL
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 21, 2024
Only Finn Allen (22) and Glenn Phillips (26) passed 20 as visitors claimed the last 8 wickets for 39 runs in comfortably their best bowling show of the series.
Mohammad Nawaz (2-18) was also effective with the new ball, eliminating Rachin Ravindra and Will Young reasonably, while Shaheen Shah Afridi had something to cheer at the end of his maiden series as skipper, taking 2-20.
Earlier, it appeared New Zealand had done enough to push for a clean sweep when they restricted Pakistan’s batsmen with another disciplined bowling show.
Brief Scores
Pakistan 134-8 (20 overs)
- Rizwan 38
- Zaman 33
- Southee 2-19
- Sodhi 2-22
New Zealand 92 (17.2 overs)
- Phillips 26
- Ahmed 3-24
- Nawaz 2-18
New Zealand win best-of-five series 4-1
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first against the host.
