Synopsis
New Zealand achieved a 4-1 series victory against Pakistan by winning the final T20I by eight wickets. Tim Seifert's unbeaten 97 led the chase of 129 runs, while Jimmy Neesham's five-wicket haul restricted Pakistan to 128 runs.Key Takeaways
- New Zealand wins the series 4-1 against Pakistan
- Tim Seifert scored 97 runs in the final match
- Jimmy Neesham took 5 wickets, proving crucial
- Pakistan failed to build a strong innings
- Seifert named Player of the Series
Wellington, March 26 (NationPress) New Zealand clinched a 4-1 series victory over Pakistan by achieving an eight-wicket win in the concluding T20I at Sky Stadium on Wednesday.
Thanks to Jimmy Neesham's impressive five-wicket haul, New Zealand limited Pakistan to 128-9. In response, Tim Seifert scored a remarkable unbeaten 97 off 38, leading New Zealand to chase down the target in just ten overs.
After winning the toss and choosing to field, New Zealand’s bowlers quickly put pressure on Pakistan. Will O’Rourke and Jacob Duffy struck early, leaving the visitors at 24/3 during the powerplay. Pakistan’s innings failed to gain any momentum, with Neesham wreaking havoc in the middle overs, causing Pakistan to collapse to 52 for 5 at the halfway mark.
Then, captain Salman Agha and Shadab Khan formed a partnership of 54 runs off 35 balls, but Pakistan lost their last five wickets for a mere 22 runs, ending with a modest total of 128.
In their chase for 129, New Zealand's opening pair, Finn Allen (27) and Seifert, were explosive, guiding the hosts to their highest powerplay total in T20I history at 92/1.
Sufiyan Muqeem soon dismissed Allen and Mark Chapman. However, Seifert, who was named Player of the Series, dismantled Pakistan’s bowling attack, finishing the match by hitting four sixes off Shadab Khan’s final over, including three consecutive sixes to seal the match and the series.
"There was only one way to play. I wanted to play the way I wanted to play. The wickets were bouncy. Tonight, a few shots went my way. You look at the matchups. Finn helped. We’ve played together. He is a great mate. It’s great fun with him. A couple of weeks with family and then off to the PSL. Some of these players will be my mates there," Seifert stated.
Brief scores: Pakistan 128/9 in 20 overs (Salman Agha 51, Shadab Khan 28; James Neesham 5-22) lost to New Zealand 131/2 in 10 overs (Tim Seifert 97, Tim Seifert 27; Sufiyan Muqeem 2-6) by eight wickets
