New Zealand’s middle-order batter Mark Chapman gave Pakistan a reality check and proved that they are not facing a second-string side. Chapman’s unbeaten 87 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium helped New Zealand beat Pakistan by seven wickets as they chased down the target of 179 with 10 balls to spare. New Zealand have leveled the series 1-1 with two more T20Is to go.
Decent start for Pakistan
Abbas Afridi replaced Mohammad Amir who was rested after his return to Pakistan’s T20I side. New Zealand skipper Michael Bracewell won the toss and opted to bowl first. Saim Ayub got an early reprieve in the second over. He made it count and smashed Jacob Duffy around the park. Babar Azam and Ayub made use of the fielding restrictions as Pakistan were 54 for no loss after six overs. Ish Sodhi broke the opening partnerhip with Ayub's wicket. He scored 32 runs from 22 balls. Mohammad Rizwan struggled to score freely whereas Babar slowed down in the middle overs. Pakistan were 84/1 at the halfway stage.
Shadab’s cameo helps Pakistan post fighting total
Bracewell in his third over dismissed Babar who played it straight to backward point fielder. The skipper scored 37 runs from 29 balls. Usman Khan became Sodhi's second victim of the evening. He departed for a single-digit score. In the same over Rizwan hobbled off the ground as he struggled with cramps. He scored 23 runs from 21 balls. Shadab Khan decided to attack and was dropped by William O'Rourke off Sodhi's bowling. Irfan Khan and Shadab attacked Bracewell in his final over as he conceded 19 runs. In the penultimate over, Shadab got out off a slower ball from Duffy. He contributed with a 20-ball 41. In the final over, Irfan hit a couple of fours to help Pakistan post 178/4. He remained unbeaten for a 20-ball 30.
Chapman punishes Pakistan for dropped catches
In Rizwan's absence, Usman donned the gloves. Tim Robinson hit Naseem Shah for two fours in his first over. Tim Seifert hit Abbas for the first six of the innings in the fifth over. He failed to put on a big score and got bowled in the same over for a 16-ball 21. In the next over, Robinson hit Shah for a couple of boundaries again. He came back well and got Robinson's wicket a yorker. The opener scored 28 runs from 19 balls. New Zealand were 53/2 after powerplay overs. Chapman's catch was dropped in the ninth over bowled by Shadab when he was batting on 16. At the halfway stage, New Zealand were 80/2.
Chapman hit Iftikhar Ahmed for a six in the 12th over. He was dropped again in the 13th over bowled by Abrar Ahmed. He reached his half-century in the next over from 29 balls. Meanwhile, Dean Foxcroft struggled to even rotate the strike. Foxcroft hit his first six of the innings in the 15th over off Shaheen. Chapman went berserk in the 16th over. He hit Shah for two sixes and two fours to make equation easy for the visitors. In the 17th over, he was dropped by Abrar. Abbas got the consolation wicket of Foxroft who scored 31 runs from 29 balls. In the 19th over, he finished the run chase. The left-handed batter remained unbeaten for 87 off 42 balls. His match-winning knock featured nine fours and four sixes.
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