NZ VS PAK - 3rd T20I, Pakistan tour of New Zealand, 2024

So a new era for Pakistan cricket with a new director of cricket and new captains has started with a 3-0 Test defeat against Australia and what is increasingly looking like a 5-0 T20I series to New Zealand. The captains and faces may have changed, but plenty of the old problems persist. Too much reliance on the marquee players, a few questionable selections and some guys just not pulling their weight in this team. New Zealand have swatted aside Pakistan today, but can the visitors respond better on Friday? Join us then, bye for now!!

16:39 Local Time, 03:39 GMT, 09:09 IST: Another familiar story in the chase for Pakistan. Their top order getting the bulk of the runs, the middle order flailing and ultimately the target proving too stiff. Saim Ayub fell early, Rizwan couldn’t stick around too long. Fakhar played a neat cameo and Babar notched up another fifty, but the rest of the scorecard makes for grim reading. Another failure for Iftikhar and Azam Khan, who are really not pulling their weight in this team at the moment. For New Zealand, it was another collective effort with the ball as all five got amongst the wickets, with Southee getting a couple. A special mention for Mitch Santner as well, who was spectacular with his defensive bowling to end with 1/26 in a 220+ chase. However, the hero of this match was Finn Allen, who smoked out the Pakistani bowlers within the first powerplay to pretty much settle the match. He equalled the record for most innings in a T20I innings, hitting 16 enroute to 137 runs as Pakistan's bowlers felt the heat. A comfortable win for the hosts in the end, series sealed!

Southee to Mohammad Wasim Jr, 1 run, slower full delivery, slammed down to long-on for a single. New Zealand win by 45 runs, claim the series as well with this win.

Southee to Mohammad Wasim Jr, no run, full and outside off, a swing and a miss

Southee to Shaheen Afridi, leg byes, 1 run, full outside off, Afridi shuffles in for a ramp shot and misses. Thuds onto his pads and the batters scamper for a leg bye

Southee to Shaheen Afridi, 2 runs, full outside off, Shaheen shuffles all the way and slams it towards deep mid-wicket

Southee to Mohammad Wasim Jr, leg byes, 1 run, good length and angles onto the pad flap. The batters scamper for a leg bye

Mohammad Wasim Jr, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Southee to Nawaz, out Caught by Seifert!! Length ball outside off from round the wicket. Nawaz swings hard but can only edge it through to the keeper. Dies down by the time it gets there and Seifert has to dive forward to complete the catch. Nawaz c Seifert b Southee 28(15) [4s-2 6s-2]

Southee to Nawaz, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Tim Southee [3.0-0-26-1] is back into the attack

Ferguson to Nawaz, 1 run, full and wide, slapped out towards deep point. On the bounce to Finn Allen

Ferguson to Nawaz, FOUR, fuller on leg stump, glanced to the right of short fine and the ball trickles down to the fence

Ferguson to Shaheen Afridi, 1 run, fuller and angling across, inside edged towards fine leg

Ferguson to Shaheen Afridi, no run, short ball over the stumps, another play and miss

Ferguson to Shaheen Afridi, no run, good length angling outside off, a swing and a miss

Ferguson to Nawaz, 1 run, full toss chasing Nawaz, squeezed towards backward point

Lockie Ferguson [3.0-0-20-1] is back into the attack

Matt Henry to Shaheen Afridi, SIX, clubbed!! A back of length delivery onto middle, Shaheen gets the right timing on that one with the pull shot. Smoked over deep square for a six

Matt Henry to Shaheen Afridi, no run, slower delivery angling across, a swing and a miss