New Zealand clinch victory against Pakistan in third T20I

New Zealand secured a victory over Pakistan in the third T20I of the series at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium by a mere four runs on Monday.

Despite a remarkable innings by middle-order batsman Iftikhar Ahmed, who scored 60 runs in just 24 balls, Pakistan fell short of their target of 164 runs and were bowled out for 159 on the final ball of the innings.

New Zealand's James Neesham was the standout performer among the bowlers, taking three wickets, while Rachin Ravindra and Adam Milne took two each. Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who scored a century in the previous match, could only manage one run in six balls. Faheem Ashraf made a quickfire cameo of 27 runs in 14 balls, including two fours and two sixes.

Earlier in the match, New Zealand posted a total of 163-5 in their allotted 20 overs, with skipper Tom Latham contributing a crucial half-century. Latham scored 64 runs in 49 balls with seven fours and two sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added 33 runs in 26 balls. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf claimed two wickets each for Pakistan, with Shadab Khan taking one.

Pakistan currently leads the series 2-1 after winning the first two matches in a convincing manner. Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan's wicketkeeper, has been deemed fit for the third T20I after recovering from his back injury.

New Zealand made two changes for the third T20I, with Adam Milne and Ish Sodhi returning to the side. Pakistan, on the other hand, rested Zaman Khan and brought in Naseem Shah as his replacement. The remaining two matches of the T20I series will be held on April 20 and 24 in Rawalpindi.

Despite the absence of eight Kiwis due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the injury of skipper Kane Williamson, New Zealand's captaincy has been entrusted to Tom Latham, providing a chance for newcomers to shine.

After the T20 series, Pakistan and New Zealand will play five one-day internationals, preparing for the upcoming 50-over World Cup in India. The tour provides some compensation for New Zealand's withdrawal from their visit to Pakistan in September 2021 due to security concerns. However, the Black Caps played two Tests and three ODIs in Pakistan just three months ago.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah

New Zealand: Tom Latham (c & wk), Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham. Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister