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The second-string New Zealand side got the better of Pakistan once again. In the absence of Mohammad Rizwan and Azam Khan, Babar Azam-led Pakistan failed to chase down the target of 179 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore and lost the match by four runs. Fakhar Zaman's 45-ball 61 kept Pakistan in the game but in the end Imad Wasim lacked support from the other end. Michael Bracewell-led New Zealand took a 2-1 lead in the five-T20I series with one game to go.
Robinson hits fifty
Babar won the toss and opted to field first. Tim Robinson and Tom Blundell got New Zealand off to a good start. The partnership was broke in the fifth over. Zaman Khan got the breakthrough as Blundell departed for a 15-ball 28. Robinson reached his maiden fifty from 34 balls. Abbas Afridi dismissed him in the 11th over. Robinson's 36-ball 51 included four fours and two sixes. Dean Foxcroft took on Usama Mir and hit two sixes. He hit Wasim for a maximum as well.
Dull finish
In the 14th over, Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed last match's hero Mark Chapman for a single-digit score. Mir in his last over got the wicket of Foxcroft who scored 34 runs from 26 balls. In the penultimate over, Abbas struck twice to dismiss Bracewell and Josh Clarkson off consecutive deliveries. Bracewell scored 27 runs from 20 balls. In the final over, Mohammad Amir conceded nine runs. He ended the innings with the wicket of Ish Sodhi. James Neesham remained unbeaten for a run-a-ball 11 as New Zealand posted 178/7.
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Too many wickets in powerplay overs
In the run chase, Saim Ayub got an early reprieve as his catch was dropped by Neesham. Babar failed to pick William ORourke's slower ball and departed for a single-digit score. Usman Khan's catch was dropped by Chapman. ORourke got the wicket of Saim Ayub in the fifth over. He fellt for a 15-ball 20. In the next over, Ben Sears got the better of Usman. He contributed with a 11-ball 16. Pakistan were 48/3 after powerplay overs. Fakhar accelebrated against Sodhi hitting him for a six followed by a four. Shadab Khan failed to push the scoring rate and miscued to deep mid-wicket. He lost his wicket to Bracewell. After 10 overs, Pakistan were 80/4.
Fakhar’s fifty not enough
In the middle overs, Pakistan struggled for boundaries. Fakhar and Iftikhar targetted Bracewell's last over hitting him for one six each. Fakhar reached his half-century with a six in the 16th over. ORourke returned to dismiss Iftikhar who scored 23 runs from 20 balls. Sears in his last over got the prized wicket of Fakhar. The southpaw scored 61 runs from 45 balls including four fours and three sixes. In the penultimate over, Abbas was run out. Wasim tried to keep the run chase alive. In the final over, Pakistan needed 18 runs. Mir started with a boundary against Neesham but got out next ball. In the end, Wasim could not get Pakistan over the line. His 11-ball 22 cameo helped Pakistan 174/8. The hosts lost the match by four runs.
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