RAWALPINDI: Mark Chapman’s heroic half-century powered New Zealand to beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the third T20I of the five-match series here at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Chapman’s stellar performance with the bat ensured New Zealand chased down a challenging target of nearly 180 runs, keeping their hopes alive in the series.
The left-handed batsman’s impactful knock was reminiscent of his previous match-winning performance in Pakistan, demonstrating his prowess under pressure once again. Partnering with Dean Foxcroft, Chapman steadied New Zealand’s innings after the early dismissals of the openers, guiding them to victory with over 100 runs partnership.
Despite Pakistan’s competitive total of 178/4, boosted by Shadab Khan’s late blitz, their bowlers failed to contain the New Zealand batters, particularly Chapman, who remained unbeaten till the end.
Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to produce breakthroughs and were further hampered by dew conditions later in the match. This lack of effectiveness ultimately allowed New Zealand to level the series.
While batting first, Pakistan posted a formidable total on the back of solid contributions from Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, and Shadab Khan. However, the loss of wickets at crucial junctures hindered their momentum, leading to a slightly under-par score from what was initially anticipated.
Despite the loss, Pakistan’s innings witnessed notable performances from Saim Ayub and Shadab Khan, who played impactful knocks to propel their team’s total.
New Zealand’s bowlers, led by Ish Sodhi’s impressive spell, managed to restrict Pakistan’s scoring rate and pick up crucial wickets at regular intervals.
With this victory, New Zealand has leveled the series after Pakistan secured a win in the second T20I after rain-marred the series opener.
Earlier, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to capitalize on favorable bowling conditions. Pakistan, having previously taken a 1-0 lead in the series, faced stiff competition from New Zealand’s spirited performance in the third T20I.
Pakistan Playing XI
Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Irfan Niazi, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed.
New Zealand Playing XI
Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
