New Zealand arrived in Pakistan earlier this month without a number of players due to the Indian Premier League, injuries, or unavailability.
The Babar Azam-led Pakistan senior men’s cricket team lost badly to an undermatched New Zealand side by four runs in the fourth Twenty20 International on Thursday. It doesn’t seem like anything is going right for them right now. After Pakistan won the second game and the series opener was rained out, they suffered their second defeat in as many games at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. With Saturday’s last game taking place in Lahore as well, the hosts trail 1-2 in the five-match series.
Despite being hit for a boundary off the opening delivery, veteran all-rounder James Neesham emerged victorious, leaving the home crowd devastated. Pakistan needed 18 from the final over in their chase of 179.
To the delight of New Zealand, Neesham held off six runs off the last ball. In contrast, the Pakistani supporters were heartbroken as little children sobbed following the sad defeat.
After Iftikhar Ahmed (23), and Fakhar Zaman (61) shared 59 runs for the fifth wicket, Pakistan rallied from 79–4.
But O’Rourke and Ben Sears combined for five wickets to give the visiting team an insurmountable 2-1 advantage.
Michael Bracewell, the captain of New Zealand, complimented his side’s death bowling.
“It’s a huge positive for us that we are able to expose new guys, we backed Neesham to bowl those hard overs and he was able to close out today,” Bracewell said following the match.
“I think our last five overs as a bowling unit were particularly impressive,” he went on to say.
New Zealand came in Pakistan earlier this month, with a number of players absent owing to the Indian Premier League, injuries, and unavailability.
Pakistan cricket has been in disarray since Babar Azam returned as captain, replacing pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi after only one series in charge.
Shaheen lost 0-5 in his leadership debut against New Zealand Down Under.
