Shadab, Zaman star as Pakistan clinch T20I series

Men in Green register 18-run win over New Zealand in final game of the series

Pakistan beat New Zealand by 18 runs in the third T20I to clinch the three-match series 2-1 and also cement top spot in the T20I rankings on Sunday.

After deciding to bat first, the Men in Green post a competitive total of 181 for the loss of six wickets.

The star of the show was left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman, who finished the innings with the top score of 46 off 36 with the help of five fours and one six.

In reply, the Black Caps only managed to score 163-6 in their allotted 20 overs.



Opener Martin Guptill finished the innings with the top score of 59 off 43 with the help of two fours and four sixes.

For Pakistan, young leg-spinner Shadab Khan was the star once again as he claimed two wickets and just gave away 19 runs in his four overs.



And that's it from Azeem Siddiqui. We will join you soon for some more live coverage. Till then, ciao.



So that's it. It was a great turnaround by team Pakistan, who will now go back home with high confidence.



NZ 163-6 (20 over)

Sixteen off the over.

FOUR! Lucky one for the left-hander.

SIX! Good hit from Santner.

Ashraf to bowl his final over.



NZ 147-6 (19 over)

Seven off the over.

Amir to continue.



NZ 140-6 (18 over)

Ten off the over.

FOUR! Much needed one for the Black Caps.

OUT! @rummanraees15 gets his revenge on Bruce. NZ 134-6 https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/vVEJkkPPAg

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Raees to bowl his final over.



NZ 130-5 (17 over)

Just three runs and a wicket.

OUT! @iamamirofficial strikes big for Pakistan. Taylor departs. NZ 128-5 https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/WfAkBc0AP1

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Amir to bowl.



NZ 127-4 (16 over)

Seventeen off the over.

SIX! This time from Bruce.

SIX! Another one from Taylor.

Rumman Raees to bowl.



NZ 110-4 (15 over)

Sixteen off the over.

SIXx2! Great hitting from Ross Taylor.

Ashraf to start his new over.



NZ 94-4 (14 over)

Seven runs and a wicket off the over. Great one for Pakistan.

OUT! @amiryamin54 gets his first wicket of the day. De Grandhomme departs. NZ 89-4 https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/WBoPsU3BX5

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Yamin to start his new over.



NZ 87-3 (13 over)

Three runs and two wickets off the over. Brilliant one for Pakistan.

OUT! @76Shadabkhan gets a huge one as Guptill departs after scoring 59. NZ 87-3 (13 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/XyAQ9UEbLT

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

OUT! @76Shadabkhan gets a big one for Pakistan. Kitchen departs. NZ 84-2 (12.2 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/CNLHg1lriZ

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Shadab to continue.



NZ 84-1 (12 over)

Eight off the over.

Faheem to start his new over.



NZ 76-1 (11 over)

Eleven off the over.

FOUR! Important boundary for New Zealand.

Shadab to continue.



NZ 65-1 (10 over)

Eleven off the over.

SIX! Another huge one for Guptill.

Yamin to continue.



NZ 54-1 (9 over)

Just one off the over.

Shadab Khan to continue.



NZ 53-1 (8 over)

Just two off the over.

Amir Yamin to start his new over.

NZ 51-1 (7 over)

Just four off the over.

Shadab Khan to start his first over.



NZ 47-1 (6 over)

Fifteen runs and a wicket off the over.

SIX! That was massive from Guptill. He is on fire. NZ 47-1 (6 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/jIcoemfSAA

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

FOURx2! Great start for Kitchen. Two glorious boundaries.

OUT! @iFaheemAshraf gets his first wicket on the first delivery of the day. Williamson departs after scoring nine. NZ 32-1 (5.1 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/sj0PwSHKMY

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Faheem Ashraf to start his first over.



NZ 32-0 (5 over)

Just four off the over.

Amir to start his new over.



NZ 28-0 (4 over)

Nine off the over.

SIX! Martin Guptill hits another one out of the part. He is one fire https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Raees to start his new over.



NZ 19-0 (3 over)

Nine off the over. Good one for New Zealand.

SIX! Shorts and Guptill hits one out of the park for a maximum. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Mohammad Amir to start his first over.



NZ 10-0 (2 over)

Just five off the over.

Rumman Raees to start his first over.



NZ 5-0 (1 over)

Just five off the over.



So it's Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson to open for New Zealand, whereas Amir Yamin to start for Pakistan.



So that's it from the first-half. We will join you soon for the second session.



PAK 181-6 (20 overs)

SIX! Grand finish for Pakistan. Brilliant from Amir Yamin.

FOUR! Important boundary for Pakistan.

Southee to start his final over.



PAK 165-6 (19 overs)

Nine runs and a wicket off the over.

OUT! Boult gets @iFaheemAshraf as Pakistan lose their sixth wicket. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/jgYUTu3DMJ

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Boult to bowl his final over.



PAK 156-5 (18 overs)

Twenty one runs and a wicket off the over. Best one of the innings so far.

OUT! @UmerAmin200 departs after a brilliant little cameo of 21 off seven balls. PAK 156-5 (18 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/gr4iBXr7LP

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

SIXx2! Two more from @UmerAmin200 . Why was he batting lower down the order? He is turning it on big time for Pakistan. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/HmVeKXwKUF

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

SIX! @UmerAmin200 joins the party and hits one out of the park for a maximum https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/0FKLHtzI9a

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Sodhi to start his new over.



PAK 135-4 (17 overs)

Twelve off the over. Good one for Pakistan.

FOUR! Another brilliant boundary from Haris Sohail. He is turning it on for Pakistan. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

FOUR! Haris hits his second boundary of the day https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Boult to start his new over.



PAK 123-4 (16 overs)

Just two runs and a wicket off the over. Brilliant over for the Black Caps.

OUT! Another big one from Santner as @SarfarazA_54 departs after scoring 29. PAK 123-4 https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/CmgepAeDLA

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Santner to start his new over.



PAK 121-3 (15 overs)

Fourteen of the over. Best one of the innings so far.

FOUR! Short and Haris Sohail puts it delightfully for his first boundary of the day https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/E2V8uq0ljA

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

FOUR! Lucky one for @SarfarazA_54 , but Pakistan will take it. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/FVyoHSo3Iq

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

De Grandhomme to start his final over.



PAK 107-3 (14 overs)

Six off the over and a wicket.

OUT! Santner gets a big one as @FakharZamanLive departs after scoring 46. PAK 106-3 https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/fOxYuvZ3bV

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Santner to start his new over.



PAK 101-2 (13 overs)

Eight off the over.

Southee to start his new over.



PAK 93-2 (12 overs)

Eleven off the over. Great one for Pakistan.

FOURx2! Inside out from captain @SarfarazA_54 , who gets going with two brilliant boundaries https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/owDJW8aBEW

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Santner to continue.



PAK 82-2 (11 overs)

Ten off the over. Good one for Pakistan.

FOUR! Zaman hits one down the ground for another boundary. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/QCx8OjWBGl

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Sodhi to continue.



PAK 72-2 (10 overs)

Six off the over.

FOUR! Zaman hits another important boundary for Pakistan. He is key to Pakistan's hopes of total in excess of 180 https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

De Grandhomme to start his new over.



PAK 66-2 (9 overs)

Nine runs and a wicket off the over. Good one for New Zealand.

OUT! @babarazam258 departs after scoring 18. PAK 66-2 (9 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/jtsWImd515

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

FOUR! Flighted and Zaman hits one down the ground. Welcome boundary for Pakistan. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Sodhi to start his new over.



PAK 57-1 (8 overs)

Five off the over.

Mitchell Santner to start his first over.



PAK 52-1 (7 overs)

Seven off the over.

Ish Sodhi to start his first over.



PAK 45-1 (6 overs)

Eleven off the over. Best of the innings so far for Pakistan.

SIX! Short and @FakharZamanLive hits first maximum of the day. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/JjTTpP3LK7

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

FOUR! Little short and @babarazam258 guides it through the covers region for his first boundary. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/7dgJV1A9Mc

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

De Grandhomme to start his second over.



PAK 34-1 (5 overs)

Just four off the over.

Boult to continue.



PAK 30-1 (4 overs)

Just five runs and a wicket off the over. Good one for the home team.

OUT! New Zealand gets a big one as @iamAhmadshahzad departs after scoring 19. PAK 30-1 (4 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/536A9Wo9I5

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

FOUR! Full pitch and @FakharZamanLive hits one through the covers region. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Colin de Grandhomme to start his first over.



PAK 25-0 (3 overs)

Ten off the over. Great one for Pakistan.

FOURx2! @iamAhmadshahzad with two classy boundaries. PAK 25-0 (3 overs) https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/01wFOPV6J7

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Southee to start his second over.



PAK 15-0 (2 overs)

Eight off the over.

FOUR! Full pitch and @FakharZamanLive hits one down the ground for his first boundary of the day https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/T027yi7Zjk

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Trent Boult to start his first over.



PAK 7-0 (1 over)

FOUR! Short and @iamAhmadshahzad pulls one for the first boundary of the day. https://t.co/nfkLdXIboo #Cricket #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/4DzinRBNEh

— Tribune Sports (@ETribuneSports) January 28, 2018

Seven off the over.



So it's Fakhar Zaman and Ahmad Shahzad to open for Pakistan, whereas Tim Southee to start for New Zealand.



Toss: The news from the centre is Pakistan captain has won the toss and decided to bat first.