Mohammad Rizwan was imperious, Babar Azam played a fine cameo and skipper Shaheen Afridi also enjoyed a burst. But Pakistan were no match for a clinical New Zealand side at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Friday. (NZ Vs PAK 4th T20I Scores | More Cricket News)
Down 0-3 and playing for pride, the visitors set a 159-run target thanks to Rizwan's unbeaten 90 off 63, and then Afridi rocked the Kiwi top order with three wickets. Yet, they still lost the match by seven wickets with 11 balls remaining in the fourth T20 International. A defeat on Sunday at the same place, and they will suffer a 0-5 series whitewash, months before the start of the ICC T20 World Cup.
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Pakistan lost the toss for the first time in four matches and they were asked to bat first by New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, who is leading the side in the absence of injured regular skipper Kane Williamson. And the visitors never really took off, despite Mohammad Rizwan holding one end, just like his former opening pair Babar Azam did in the previous matches.
The second-highest contribution for Pakistan came from Mohammad Nawaz, who hit three sixes for 21 not out of nine balls. Azam, who had hit three back-to-back fifties earlier in the series, was out for 19 off 11.
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For the BlackCaps, pacer Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson claimed a brace each, 2/22 and 2/27, respectively, and were brilliantly supported by skipper Santner, who chocked the Pakistan middle order with a brilliant, yet wicketless spell.
Afridi, who is leading Pakistan for the first time in this series, gave his side a dream start by removing both New Zealand openers -- Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in the first over. In one sensational opening spell, the left-arm quick, then got the wicket of Will Young, to reduce the Kiwis to 20/3 in 2.4 overs.
But it proved a false dawn for Pakistan as Daryl Mitchell (72 off 44) and Glenn Phillips (70 off 52) stitched an unbeaten 139-run stand for the fourth wicket to chase down the target, with the former hitting the winning runs off Haris Rauf. Mohammad Nawaz leaked 41 runs, while Afridi conceded 34 despite his brilliant start.
Daryl Mitchell, who hit seven fours and two sixes, claimed his second Player of the Match award to tie with Finn Allen. In the series opener, the new Chennai Super Kings player hit 61 to set up a 46-run run. In between, Allen, the opener, produced knocks of 74 and that record-breaking 137 as New Zealand won high-scoring second and third T20Is by 21 and 45 runs, respectively.
Pakistan started their tour Down Under with a three-match Test series in Australia, which they lost 3-0. Another series whitewash looks eminent.
Meanwhile, New Zealand camp continues to grapple with a fresh outbreak of COVID-19. Hours before the start of the fourth New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I, opener Devon Conway was ruled out after testing positive for coronavirus.
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Bowling coach Andre Adams also tested positive for COVID. Earlier, Santner missed the series opener for the same reason.
