In the recent Pak vs NZ T20, the green team failed to chase the 179-run target at Lahore Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
This Victory was New Zealand’s second consecutive win in the series and they took the lead of 2-1. The final match of the series will be held on April 27.
Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam (5) returned to the pavilion in the second over as the team battled early in the chase.
Saim Ayub (20) and Usman Khan (16), two young batsmen, attempted to bat aggressively but were removed in rapid succession.
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Shadab Khan (7) joined Fakhar Zaman in the middle, but the all-rounder was unable to duplicate his valiant efforts from the previous match.
While Iftikhar Ahmed teamed with him, Fakhar remained at one end. William O’Rourke struck at a crucial juncture in the chase to put the home team ahead after the pair had put on 61 runs.
The visitors removed set-batter Fakhar, who scored 61 off 45 balls, in an attempt to increase the pressure.
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All-rounder Imad Wasim (22*) made an effort to take Pakistan across the finish line till the last delivery but the home side fell short by four runs and finished at 174/8.
O’Rourke was the pick of the bowlers for the Black Caps, picking three wickets for 27 runs while Ben Sears took two for the same number of runs.
Earlier, New Zealand posted a total of 178/7 after being put into bat first.
The visitors had a blazing start from openers Tim Robinson and Tom Blundell. The duo made 56 runs for the first wicket before Zaman Khan had the better of Blundell, who made 28 runs off 15 balls powered by five fours.
Robinson kept the charge from the other end with Dean Foxcroft joining him in the middle. The 21-year-old reached his first T20I fifty before being dismissed on 51 by Abbas Afridi with the help of Iftikhar Ahmed, who took a great catch on the boundary.
The home side dominated in the middle over by bowling quiet overs and managed wickets of last match heroes Mark Chapman and Foxcroft.
Shadab Khan took a splendid catch to dismiss Chapman (9) on the bowling of Iftikhar Ahmed while Foxcroft (34) was undone by Usama Mir.
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell looked to increase the strike rate in the last overs but he couldn’t get ahead of the plan of the Pakistan bowlers.
Bracewell, who made 27 off 20, was removed by Abbas while Josh Clarkson’s stumps were rattled on the following delivery. The emerging pacer finished as Pakistan’s best bowler, claiming 3/20.
The visitors finished on 178/7 with Mohammad Amir removing Ish Sodhi on the final ball of the innings.
PAK vs NZ T20 Playing XI:
Pakistan Playing XI:
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 Playing XI:
TA Blundell (wk), TB Robinson, D Foxcroft, MS Chapman, JDS Neesham, Michael Bracewell (c), JA Clarkson, Ish Sodhi, JA Duffy, BV Sears, W O’Rourke.
