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Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips' batting wizardry guided New Zealand to a decisive seven-wicket victory against Pakistan in the fourth T20I in Christchurch on Friday, January 19, bringing them close to a complete series sweep.
The duo from the Black Caps formed an unbeaten partnership, each scoring a half-century in their 139-run collaboration. This effort enabled New Zealand to successfully chase down the target, reaching 159-3 in the 19th over, in response to Pakistan's 158-5.
Their effort was particularly noteworthy as they had to recover from a challenging start after Pakistan's captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had disrupted New Zealand's top order, leaving them struggling at 20-3 in the third over.
Mitchell's aggressive 72 off 44 balls, combined with Phillips' steady 70 off 52, significantly contributed to their team's momentum towards the end. They began their innings cautiously but gradually accelerated to seal the win with 11 balls remaining.
New Zealand stands on the brink of a 5-0 series triumph, with the opportunity to clinch the series in Sunday's final match at the same Hagley Oval.
Pakistan's struggles in the match were partly due to the lack of support for opener Mohammad Rizwan, who single-handedly anchored their innings with an impressive unbeaten 90 off 63 balls. Despite facing a tight New Zealand bowling attack, led by seamers Matt Henry (2-22) and Lockie Ferguson (2-27), Rizwan managed to keep the scoreboard moving. However, his chances of reaching a second T20 international century were hampered in the final stages due to limited opportunities to bat, reflected in his innings that included just six fours and two sixes.
The only other notable contribution for Pakistan came from all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, who hit pace bowler Adam Milne for three consecutive sixes in his final over, scoring 21 off nine balls. Babar Azam, who had scored half-centuries in the first three games of the series, was dismissed for 19 after an attempted pull shot off Milne in the seventh over resulted in a catch.
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