Pakistan snatch 42-run win over New Zealand in fifth T20I

Pakistan snatch 42-run win over new zealand in fifth t20i0

Pakistan’s spinners dominated New Zealand in the fifth and final Twenty20 international on Sunday, winning by 42 runs and avoiding a series whitewash.

The visitors lost the five-match series 4-1, but finished on a high note by dismissing the Black Caps for 92 in a 134-8 defence.

Iftikhar Ahmed, a part-time offspinner, bowled a career-best 3-24 as a weaker New Zealand batting order battled against the turning ball and finished with the eighth-lowest T20 score.

Only opener Finn Allen (22) and Glenn Phillips (26) topped 20 as Pakistan took the final eight wickets for 39 runs, easily their greatest bowling performance of the series.

Afridi feels relieved after averting whitewash.

Mohammad Nawaz (2-18) was efficient with the new ball, dismissing Rachin Ravindra and Will Young cheaply, while Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-20) had reason to celebrate at the completion of his first series as captain.

New Zealand was without three first-choice batters: Kane Williamson (knee injury), Devon Conway (Covid-19), and Daryl Mitchell (rest).

Earlier, it looked like the host team had done enough to strive for a clean sweep after restricting Pakistan’s hitters with another disciplined bowling performance.

Seamers Tim Southee, Matt Henry, and Lockie Ferguson each took two wickets, as did spinner Ish Sodhi.

Southee (2-19), T20 cricket’s leading wicket-taker, removed rookie Haseebullah Khan in the first over before returning in the 13th over to remove the dangerous Fakhar Zaman, who had raced to 33 off 16 balls.

Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s top scorer, left shortly after for 38 off 38, leaving the side with the lowest first-innings total in the series.

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