New Zealand has won the third T20 in the bilateral series with Pakistan in front of a full capacity Gadhafi Stadium Lahore on Monday evening.
The Kiwis set a target of 163 in 20 overs, winning the match by 4 runs in the last over.
Pakistan’s batting line up collapsed yet again, as one by one batsmen failed to score after Fakhar Zaman and Muhammad Rizwan fell.
Young star batter Saim Ayub also failed to hit the shots he is known by, scoring only 10 runs off 9 balls.
Surprising many, hard hitting all-rounders Iftikhar Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf came to bat in at number 7 and 8 while full time bowler came to bat prior to them with Shadab Khan.
Babar Azam revealed why he sent Iftikhar Ahmed in at number 8 when asked by the media. The skipper explained that the team are trying a flexible batting line up so everyone can bat according to the situation, stressing that number does not matter and Iftikhar Ahmed can bat at at any number. “There is a proper role for everyone in the team,” he said.
Iftikhar and Faheem almost turned the game on its head, when Pakistan was 88/7 playing brilliant cricket in the death overs.
Needing 15 to win from Neesham’s final over, Iftikhar hit a six and a four to reduce the target to five off the last three deliveries.
But Neesham had Ahmed caught at long-on by Daryl Mitchell and then after a dot ball dismissed last man Haris Rauf in the same manner.
Iftikhar led the fightback with Faheem as the pair added 61 for the eighth wicket, with Ashraf holing out after a 14-ball 27 studded with two sixes and as many fours.
Iftikhar smashed six sixes and three fours.
The victory means New Zealand trail the five-match series 2-1 after Pakistan won the first two games, by 88 and 38 runs, also in Lahore.
The last two matches are in Rawalpindi on April 20 and 24.
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