Pakistan overpowered New Zealand by nine wickets in the third T20I at Eden Park, chasing down 205 in just 16 overs. Hasan Nawaz starred with a blistering 105* off 45 balls, steering Pakistan to 207/1 at a run rate of 12.93.
Skipper Agha Salman (51* off 31) provided solid support as Pakistan dominated the chase. Mohammad Haris contributed 41 off 20 before falling to Jacob Duffy (1/37).
New Zealand’s bowling unit struggled, with Kyle Jamieson (0/54) and Ben Sears (0/51) proving expensive.
Earlier, New Zealand posted 204, powered by Mark Chapman’s 94 off 44 balls. Haris Rauf (3/29) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/36) led Pakistan’s bowling effort.
With this emphatic victory, Pakistan comes back in the series 1-2. The next T20I will be crucial, to take place on Sunday 23 March.
New Zealand’s bowlers have struggled to contain the Pakistani batters, with Jacob Duffy (1/37) the only wicket-taker so far.
Earlier, Mark Chapman’s 94 off 44 balls had powered New Zealand to 204, but Pakistan’s aggressive batting has kept them in full control of the chase.
With a required rate of just five runs per over, Pakistan looks set to seal a commanding win.
New Zealand set a competitive total of 204 in the third T20I against Pakistan at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday. Mark Chapman’s blistering 94 off 44 balls was the highlight of the innings, as he dominated Pakistan’s bowling attack with 11 fours and 4 sixes.
Pakistan, who opted to field first, struck early with Shaheen Shah Afridi removing Finn Allen for a duck. Tim Seifert added a quick 19 before falling to Haris Rauf, but Chapman took charge, accelerating New Zealand’s innings.
His partnership with Daryl Mitchell (17) steadied the hosts before wickets started tumbling.
Haris Rauf was Pakistan’s standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3-29 in his four overs, while Shaheen and Abrar Ahmed claimed two wickets each. Abbas Afridi also contributed with 2-24.
Despite regular breakthroughs, New Zealand pushed past the 200-run mark, courtesy of late cameos from Michael Bracewell (31) and Ish Sodhi (10).
Pakistan now face a challenging chase of 205 to keep the series alive, trailing 0-2.
Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series at Eden Park in Auckland.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (c), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf
New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears
New Zealand currently leads the five-match series 2-0, having won the first game by nine wickets and the second by five wickets.
In the opening game, they defeated Pakistan by a dominant nine wickets, and in the rain-affected second T20I, the hosts secured a five-wicket victory.
With another loss in the upcoming match, Pakistan's chances of winning the series would be over.
The third T20I is a must-win for Pakistan as they aim to keep their hopes alive in the series.
Despite losing the first two matches of the series, Javed remains optimistic about his team's chances and believes that the changes will strengthen their prospects for the upcoming game.
Speaking to the media, he emphasized that the primary focus remains on building a solid squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup.
Javed mentioned that playing in challenging conditions like those in New Zealand would better prepare the team for the high-pressure tournaments later this year in the subcontinent.
"The team is young, but we are here to win the series. Our performances are improving, and we will fight back in Auckland," Javed stated, expressing confidence despite the setbacks in the earlier matches.
He acknowledged the difficulties of adapting to foreign conditions but stressed that integrating young players into such environments is vital for long-term success.
"People want immediate results, and so do we. We will try to make a strong comeback in the third match," he added.
Javed also pointed out that Pakistan's T20 setup has lagged behind other teams in recent years, as many top cricketing nations have developed specialized T20 squads.
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