LAHORE: A quick fifty-plus opening partnership followed by 34 runs inning by D Foxcroft guided New Zealand to fighting 178 runs total for the loss of 7 wickets in the fourth match of the ongoing T20I series at Gadhafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday.
Earlier, winning the toss Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam invited New Zealand to bat first. Kiwis openers Tom Blundell and Tim Robinson took a flying start in the powerplay and completed the fifty-run partnership in just 5th over. However, on the last ball of the 5th over Zaman Khan managed to get rid of Blundell who scored 28 runs on just 15 balls.
Blundell was replaced by D Foxcroft who further consolidated the innings with Robinson. Meanwhile, Robinson completed his terrific half-century. Both batters added 38 runs partnership for the team before Robinson was dismissed by Abbas Afridi on 56.
After Robinson Pakistan managed to get one more quick wicket when Shadab Khan removed Mark Chapman on 9. At the stage, Kiwis were 128 for 3 in 13.5 overs. In the fifteenth over Usama Mir removed Foxcroft who added 34 crucial runs to the total. He was replaced by James Neesham who along with the skipper Michael Bracewell moved the scoreboard ahead.
During the last 5 overs of the innings Pakistani bowlers tried hard to restrict the Black Caps to some extent. However, Bracewell and Neesham did their job well to take the score to a fighting total. Bracewell scored 27 while facing 20 balls. In 20 overs New Zealand scored 178 for the loss of 7 wickets.
From Pakistan Abbas Afridi was the leading wicket-taker with 3 for 20 in his 3-over spell. Zaman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Amir and Usama Mir got one wicket each.
New Zealand Squad
Tom Blundell (wk), Tim Robinson, D Foxcroft, MS Chapman, JDS Neesham, Michael Bracewell (c), JA Clarkson, Ish Sodhi, JA Duffy, BV Sears, W O’Rourke
Pakistan Squad
Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Zaman Khan
