In the fourth T20I match between Pakistan and New Zealand, held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan faced a narrow defeat by four runs. New Zealand, batting first, posted a total of 178/7 with the help of Tim Robinson’s half-century. Despite Abbas Afridi’s impressive spell of 3/20, Pakistan couldn’t restrict New Zealand effectively.
In response, Pakistan’s chase fell short as they managed to score 174/8 in their 20 overs. Fakhar Zaman’s valiant effort of 61 off 45 balls went in vain. Will O’Rourke’s 3/27 and Ben Sears’ 2/27 played crucial roles in restricting Pakistan’s chase.
The series, which was levelled at 1-1 after the first two matches in Rawalpindi, shifted to Lahore for the third and fourth matches. Despite a packed house at Gaddafi Stadium, it was a disappointing outcome for the home crowd as New Zealand now leads the series 2-1.
The first T20I of the series was affected by rain, leading to no result, while Pakistan won the second match by seven wickets. However, New Zealand bounced back strongly in the third match, also winning by seven wickets.
With the series now in New Zealand’s favor, Pakistan faces a must-win situation in the final T20I scheduled for April 27th. Notably, New Zealand has sent a depleted squad for the series, while Pakistan is playing with their main pace bowlers including Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah, and Mohammad Amir. The final match promises to be a thrilling encounter as Pakistan seek to level the series while New Zealand aim to clinch the victory.
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