CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: Pakistan set a target of 135 runs in the fifth and final T20 international against New Zealand in Christchurch today (Sunday).
Brief scores from the first innings of the final T20 international between New Zealand and Pakistan: Pakistan 134-8 in 20 overs (M. Rizwan 38, F. Zaman 33; T. Southee 2-19, I. Sodhi 2-22)
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first in the fifth and final Twenty20 international as they seek to avoid a clean-sweep series loss to New Zealand.
The tourists have made three changes to the team beaten by seven wickets at the same Hagley Oval on Friday, a result that continued New Zealand’s dominance of the series in every match.
Twenty-year-old Haseebullah Khan will open the batting in his first international appearance in any format for Pakistan, replacing Saim Ayub.
Leg-spinner Usama Mir and seamer Abbas Afridi return to the bowling attack after both played the first two games, replacing Mohammad Wasim and Haris Rauf.
New Zealand made two changes, including the recall of allrounder Rachin Ravindra, who has barely featured since his prolific run-scoring feats at last year’s 50-over World Cup in India.
Ravindra replaces Daryl Mitchell, who is being rested while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi takes the place of pace bowler Adam Milne.
New Zealand opening batter Devon Conway was again unavailable after testing positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week.
Teams
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan, Haseebullah Khan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), Abbas Afridi, Zaman Khan
—AFP
