Pakistan made a strong start in their chase of 205 against New Zealand in the third T20I at Auckland, reaching 160/1 in 13 overs. Hasan Nawaz’s Brilliant Knock Puts.
Hasan Nawaz leads the charge with an explosive 80* off 35 balls, while Mohammad Haris smashed 41 off 20 before falling to Jacob Duffy.
Pakistan’s aggressive batting has put them in a commanding position, needing 81 runs off 60 balls at a required run rate of 8.10. Captain Salman Agha (35* off 23) is at the crease alongside Hasan.
New Zealand’s bowlers struggled to contain Pakistan’s batters, with Kyle Jamieson conceding 40 runs in three overs and Ben Sears going for 37 in three. Duffy was the lone wicket-taker, dismissing Haris.
With Pakistan’s current run rate at 12.40, they remain favourites to secure a victory and keep their series hopes alive.
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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.
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.
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