Glenn Phillips smashed a quickfire half century to guide New Zealand to a two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the third one-day international in Karachi on Friday and clinch the series 2-1.
Phillips scored an unbeaten 63 off 42 balls, hit-ting four fours and four sixes, as New Zealand chased down a target of 281 within 11 balls remain-ing. Opener Devon Conway (52) and captain Kane Williamson (53) also made telling contributions.
Earlier, Opener Fakhar Zaman cracked a brilliant hundred to lift Pakistan to 280-9 in the third and series-deciding day-night international against New Zealand in Karachi on Friday.
The left-hander scored a 122-ball 101 with 10 boundaries and a six after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat at the National Stadium.
Zaman lifted Pakistan from 21-2 during a third-wicket stand of 154 off 161 balls with Mohammad Rizwan, who made a polished 74-ball 77 with six boundaries.
Pakistan, seeking a series win after the teams shared the first two matches, were badly hit at the start when they lost Shan Masood without scoring and skipper Babar Azam for a rare failure on four.
Azam, who had two half-centuries in the first two matches, was stumped by Tom Latham off-spinner Michael Bracewell in the seventh over.
It was left to Zaman to build the innings and he took a sharp single to reach his eighth hundred, his first three-figure ODI score in Pakistan.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi broke the stand by bowl-ing Rizwan, while Zaman was run out as he tried to steal a sharp single.
Agha Salman hit out in the final overs, scoring a 43-ball 45 with a six and four boundaries. Haris Sohail made 22 as Pakistan scored 49 in the last five overs, losing four wickets.
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee finished with 3-56.—Agencies
