New Zealand Defeat Pakistan In The Fourth Twenty20 International

(CTN News) – New Zealand improved its lead in the five-match series to 2-1 after defeating Pakistan by four runs in the fourth Twenty20 International played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

It is expected that both teams will play each other in the final match on April 27. With Babar Azam (5) going back to the pavilion in the second over, Pakistan struggled to get going in the chase.

Despite aggressive batting, Saim Ayub (20) and Usman Khan (16) were dismissed in quick succession.

While Fakhar Zaman (7) was joined in the middle by Shadab Khan (7), the all-rounder was unable to replicate his heroics from the previous match.

Iftikhar Ahmed, in partnership with Fakhar Ahmed, remained at one end of the table. In the chase, William O’Rourke struck at a critical time to put the home team on the backfoot. The duo added 61 runs to the total.

With Fakhar making 61 off 45 deliveries, the visitors increased the pressure by removing him.

While Imad Wasim made a valiant effort to guide Pakistan to victory, their score at 174/8 was four runs short of the winning margin. O’Rourke picked up three wickets for 27 runs for the Black Caps, while Sears picked up two for the same total.

In their first innings, New Zealand posted a total of 178/7.

Opening batsmen Tim Robinson and Tom Blundell set the visitors on their way to a blazing start. Before Zaman Khan got the better of Blundell, who scored 28 off 15 balls with five fours, the duo made 56 runs for the first wicket.

Robinson led from the other end, with Dean Foxcroft joining him in the middle. In his first T20I fifty, he was dismissed on 51 by Abbas Afridi with the help of Iftikhar Ahmed, who took a fantastic catch.

As a result of bowling quiet overs in the middle overs, the home side managed to take the wickets of last match heroes Mark Chapman and Foxcroft.

The bowling of Iftikhar Ahmed led to Shadab Khan’s superb catch, which dismissed Chapman (9) while Usama Mir undid Foxcroft (34) from the game.

Despite trying to increase strike rate in the last over, New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell could not outwit Pakistan’s bowlers.

Bracewell, who made 27 off 20, was removed by Abbas’ next delivery, New Zealand which rattled Josh Clarkson’s stumps. With 3/20, the pacer was Pakistan’s best bowler.

With Ish Sodhi out on the final ball of the innings, the visitors finished on 178/7.

A play-by-play XI

The Pakistan cricket team: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Zaman Khan, and a list of other players.

There were five New Zealanders in the team: TA Blundell (wk), TB Robinson, D Foxcroft, MS Chapman, JDS Neesham, Michael Bracewell (c), JA Clarkson, Ish Sodhi, JA Duffy, BV Sears, and New Zealand W O’Rourke.

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