Islamabad, 21 March 2025: Pakistan cruised to a resounding nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20I of their five-match series at Eden Park.
while chasing a challenging target of 205, the visitors comfortably reached the target with four overs to spare, losing only one wicket in the process.
The chase began aggressively with openers Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz sharing a quick-fire 74-run stand.
Haris played an explosive knock of 41 off 20 balls, including four fours and three sixes, before falling in the final over of the powerplay.
Following his dismissal, captain Salman Ali Agha joined Nawaz, and the pair formed an unbroken partnership worth 133 runs to take Pakistan across the line in style.
Earlier, New Zealand struggled after being put in to bat. Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early, dismissing Finn Allen with help from a brilliant one-handed catch by Haris Rauf.
Rauf dismissed Tim Seifert, reducing New Zealand to 40/2, before Mark Chapman’s aggressive 94 off 44 balls, featuring 11 fours and four sixes, led the charge.
However, his dismissal by Afridi caused the hosts’ innings to collapse.
Pakistan’s bowlers were in control, with Rauf claiming three wickets for just 29 runs in his four overs. Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Mohammad Abbas Afridi each picked up two wickets.
Despite a late flurry from captain Michael Bracewell, who scored 31 off 18 balls, New Zealand’s total ended at 204/9.
Pakistan chased down the total with ease, thanks to Nawaz’s masterful batting and a solid partnership with Agha, leveling the series at 1-1 with two matches to go.
