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Pakistan's recent 45-run loss in the third T20I of a five-match series against New Zealand extended their winless streak to seven matches in international cricket. This downturn follows a change in captaincy after Babar Azam stepped down following the World Cup. Since then, Pakistan has experienced six consecutive defeats under various leaders. Babar's final match as captain resulted in a loss to England during the World Cup. Subsequently, the team faced a series defeat against Australia, led by the new Test captain Shan Masood. Currently, under the leadership of new T20I captain Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan has lost three consecutive matches and is at risk of a 5-0 series defeat, with two more games scheduled in Christchurch later this week.
Pakistan team has drawn flak from fans on social media where some have marked the day as ‘Black Cricket in Pakistan cricket’.
This is how the furious fans reacted on social media:
Talking about the match, in a knock that will remain indelibly etched in history, New Zealand's Finn Allen scored a record-shattering century, leading his team to a decisive 45-run victory over Pakistan in the third T20I at the University Oval in Dunedin on January 17. This win propelled New Zealand to an insurmountable 3-0 lead in their five-match T20I series. Allen's phenomenal performance broke Brendon McCullum's 12-year record, registering the highest individual score in T20I cricket for New Zealand. Allen's innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting, as he amassed 137 runs from just 62 deliveries. His knock, comprising five fours and a record-equalling 16 sixes, was instrumental in setting up New Zealand's imposing total of 224/7. This feat also elevated him to the fifth spot in all-time individual scores in T20I cricket.
In response, Pakistan started their chase with an early loss but soon found stability with Mohammad Rizwan (24 runs off 20 balls) and Babar Azam at the crease, who built a 39-run partnership. Rizwan's 24 off 20 balls and Babar's consistent form, scoring his third consecutive half-century of the series, kept Pakistan in the hunt. However, a series of quick wickets, including those of Fakhar Zaman (19 runs off 10 balls), Azam Khan (10 runs off 7 balls), and Iftikhar Ahmed (1 run off 4 balls), derailed their chase. Despite the increasing run-rate, Babar kept the fight alive but eventually fell to Ish Sodhi's spin. Babar's 58 off 37 deliveries was the highlight of Pakistan's batting effort. In the closing stages of the match, Mohammad Nawaz (28 runs off 15 balls) and Shaheen Afridi (16 not out off 11 balls) showed resilience with their cameos, but their efforts fell short as Pakistan ended their innings at 179/7, 45 runs behind the target.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Massive blow to Afghanistan star, ruled out of another big tournament ahead of T20 World Cup
NZ vs PAK: Fill Allen's record-breaking assault downs Pakistan in Dunedin by 45 runs, New Zealand take unassailable 3-0 lead
Watch: Babar Azam's reaction goes viral after his six gives major injury scare as ball hits spectator during 3rd T20I
