CHRISTCHURCH – Exceptional bowling by Iftikhar Ahmed led Pakistan to a 42-run win over New Zealand in the last game of the five-match T20I series on Sunday.
Pakistan posted 134-8 in 20 overs while batting first in Hagley Oval, Christchurch. In return, New Zealand were bundled out for a paltry 92 as the visitors defended a low total to avoid a series whitewash.
Tim Southee struck in the first over to remove debutant Haseebullah for a duck.
The seasoned duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam put up a 53-run second-wicket stand to bring some stability to the innings after the early setback.
Ish Sodhi brought an end to the partnership in the 10th over as Babar (13, 24b, 1×4) was caught by Glenn Phillips at deep midwicket.
Fakhar Zaman hit a quick-fire 33 from 16, including a boundary and four sixes, to get the scoreboard moving for his team. Southee got his second wicket when Fakhar mistimed a shot to Lockie Ferguson at long-off.
Mohammad Nawaz fell to Sodhi for just one run on the last ball of the 14th over. On the subsequent ball, Rizwan was caught by Rachin Ravindra on Matt Henry’s bowling after scoring a run-a-ball 38, including four boundaries.
Ferguson and Henry dismissed Iftikhar Ahmed and Shaheen respectively to bring Pakistan to 114-7 in 18.2 overs.
Sahibzada Farhan, the seventh batter in, contributed 19 from 14, including a six and four, before getting out to Ferguson in the last over of the innings. Abbas Afridi also chipped in with an unbeaten 14 from six, including two maximums.
Southee, Ferguson, Sodhi and Henry all accounted for two scalps each as Pakistan were restricted to 134-8 in 20 overs.
Defending a low total, Nawaz aided Pakistan by removing Ravindra for just a run in the second over of the innings. Finn Allen (22, 19b, 3x4s, 16) was the next batter to walk back to the pavilion, as he was caught by Haseebullah off Zaman Khan’s bowling.
Will Young hit 12 from 11, including two fours, before Iftikhar Ahmed caught him at the deep square as Nawaz got his second wicket of the day.
Shortly after, Mark Chapman was run out to bring New Zealand down to 54-4 in the 11th over.
Iftikhar trapped Tim Seifert (19, 30b) leg-before while captain Mitchell Santner fell to leg-spinner Usama Mir for a run-a-ball four.
Trouble deepened for the home side as both Sodhi and Henry fell victim to Iftikhar, for a run each.
Phillips’ (26, 22b, 1×4, 1×6) fighting effort went in vain as skipper Shaheen cleaned up the last two wickets to bowl out New Zealand for 92 in 17.2 overs.
Iftikhar was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors, returning with three wickets for 24 runs in his four overs, and was adjudged player of the match. Shaheen and Nawaz grabbed two wickets while Zaman and Usama removed a batter each.
