(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
ISLAMABAD (TNS) New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 115 runs in the fourth T20 International to clinch the series. Chasing a target of 221 runs, the Pakistani team was bundled out for 105 runs, with 9 Pakistani players unable to enter double figures. In the match played at Mount Manga Nui, Pakistan won the toss and decided to field. The host team scored 220 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. In response, the Pakistani batting line proved to be a wall of sand. Muhammad Haris 2, Hassan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha and Shadab Khan returned to the pavilion after scoring one run each, Irfan Khan lost courage after scoring 24 runs, Khushdil Shah could only score 6 runs while Abbas Afridi was also out after scoring one run. Abdul Samad stood out for Pakistan by scoring 44 runs while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf scored 6 runs each. For New Zealand, Jacob Duffy took 4, Zachary Foulkes took 3, while Will O’Rourke, Ish Sodhi and James Neesham took one wicket each. Earlier, in the first innings, the New Zealand batsmen showed an aggressive game from the very beginning and gave their team a good start of 59 runs.
The New Zealand team scored 50 runs in 3.5 overs. After which Haris Rauf dismissed Tim Seifert, who scored 44 runs in 22 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 3 fours, thanks to a brilliant catch by Khushdil Shah, however, the New Zealand batsmen continued to show an aggressive game and scored 79 runs in the 6-over power play while completing 100 runs in just 7.2 overs. New Zealand’s second wicket fell for a total score of 108 runs, Mark Chapman, who scored 24 runs with the help of 2 sixes and 2 fours, was clean bowled by Haris Rauf. New Zealand’s third wicket fell for 134 runs, Finn Allen, who scored 50 runs in 20 balls, was caught by Abbas Afridi at the hands of Hassan Nawaz, while the fourth wicket fell for 139 runs, James Neesham, who scored 3 runs, was caught by wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris off the ball of Abrar Ahmed. The Kiwis suffered their fifth loss at a total score of 149, Mitchell Hay, who scored 3 runs, was also caught by Abrar Ahmed at the hands of Mohammad Haris. New Zealand’s sixth wicket fell for 206 runs, Daryl Mitchell, who scored 29 runs, was caught by Haris Rauf at the hands of Irfan Khan. New Zealand scored 220 runs in the allotted 20 overs, with Michael Bracewell on 44 and Zachary Foulkes on 3 at the end of the innings. There was no change in the Pakistani squad for the fourth T20 while 2 changes were made in the New Zealand team, Will O’Rourke and Jacob Duffy were included in the team in place of Kelly Jamieson and Ben Sears.
Pakistani playing XI
The Pakistani team for the fourth T20 consists of Muhammad Haris, Hassan Nawaz, captain Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Haris Rauf.
New Zealand Playing XI
The New Zealand team consists of Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay, Michael Bracewell, Ash Sodhi, Zachary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy and Will O’Rourke. It should be noted that New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 9 wickets in the first T20 and by 5 wickets in the second T20, however, in the third T20, Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 9 wickets thanks to Hassan Nawaz’s lightning century and achieved the target of 205 runs in just 16 overs.
