Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Babar Azam
Babar Azam
69(44) 6x4 - 2x6
Control %81%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 20 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
0 8 4 3 13 10 11 20
TL Seifert
52(33) 7x4 - 2x6
Control %66%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 13 runs
  • 3x4 - 0x6
8 4 0 5 0 1 22 12

Best performances - Bowlers

Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi
O4
M0
R30
W4
Eco7.50
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
Usama Mir
O4
M1
R21
W2
Eco5.25
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W

Match Details

Toss

New Zealand , elected to field first

Player Of The Match

Player Of The Series

Series result

5-match series drawn 2-2

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50

Match days

27 April 2024 - night match (20-over match)

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Commentator: Rvel Z

And that brings an end to our coverage from Lahore. Another fascinating game of T20I cricket that had plenty of ebbs and flows, but in the end, Pakistan managed to hold their nerve. The way Seifert and Bracewell started, it looked like New Zealand were favorites to hunt down the target, but the spinners brought Pakistan back into the game and wickets in clumps stymied the run-flow. Those wickets in the middle overs derailed New Zealand's chase, but some timely hits kept them in the contest. Then, Shaheen Afridi's late killer blows sealed the game. Pakistan found some answers with their experimentation and rotation policy, but there is a lot of room for fine-tuning before the World Cup, while New Zealand have ticked all the boxes with a depleted squad that gave a full-strength Pakistan a run for their money and produced exhilarating contests both in Rawalpindi and Lahore! Both teams pose with the trophy, smiles, and handshakes all around. Thank you for joining us throughout the series. We'll see you soon with more action. On behalf of the entire team at ESPNcricinfo, this is Rvel Zahid signing off

Babar Azam, Pakistan Captain: Fast bowlers were also getting swing early on, but after powerfully when Usama started, we felt spinners were getting more assistance and we did what was best according to situation. Yes, we used 8 bowlers, four among them were spinners...yes it's a bit difficult when you have too many options. We tried Saim today like he bowled in PSL. Imad has so much experience that he can bowl well after the powerplay too. New ball comes nicely onto the bat but after the dew settles in, it gets slower and cutters hold up...think we were 10 runs short but in the end, the recovery was fair enough. It was a par score but I think we should have scored 15-20 runs more. As a batter, you have to be proactive, you have to mark your fielders, running between the wickets always helps you if you are struggling. (About the World Cup). Look, throughout the series we tried different combinations and we wanted to see where our bench strength stands. There are many good signs but we won't be complacent and will focus on improvement which is crucial in international cricket.

Michael Bracewell, New Zealand Captain: Pretty fair reflection of the series, pretty happy with coming over here and learning how to play in these conditions. Credit to Pakistan, they played really well, think we lost a couple of wickets in the middle and that put us on the backfoot. Shaheen and Usama bowled particularly well. We were keeping the run rate (in check) but those wickets were the turning point. It's always a great challenge playing against great players in very different conditions, good to test yourself. I think the way we were able to learn and adapt game to game was really good

Shaheen Afridi, Player of the Match: Always try to strike and look for wickets. Goal is always to do best for the team. When New Zealand were bowling, ball was keeping low, and there was a chance they could miss if we bowled wicket to wicket and do length bowling...if ball is reversing, I try to mix it up in the last two overs, yorker is the best delivery in every format of the game. I try to deceive the batters at the death.

Padmaraj : "Just checking scores and found that the last three matches the target was same. Could be first instance of such a hattrick"

Saifi: "He ran his partner out to get back to the strike only to other run out as well? He should've waited and tried to hit two big sixes"

Lail: "Too many cook, spoil the broth.... Used Eight bowlers but almost loosing"

Vaibhav: "Pakistan Pakistan PadosiyoPadosiyoCome on Come on "

Zain: "Whoever wins this but this young NZ team have won many hearts here! "

Ibrahim: "The commentators really brought enthusiasm to the game! Truly an enjoyable game. ("

Waqas : "So stressful watching this Pakistan team!! Rvel, I really hope you get a stress bonus everytime you're commentating on Pakistan's matches." haha

Rizwan: "Rvel do you think a drawn series is really a loss for Pakistan? Considering a weakened opposition" It's a reality check before the World Cup. A much better performance was expected, considering Pakistan were playing at home with all their first-choice players available

MR: "15 runs remaining in 10 balls was very doable. NZ lost because of inexperience. Pakistan needs to do some thinking here as this was Pakistan's best squad and the expected result was 5-0 (in favour of Pakistan)"

Shaheen Syrda: "I think there will be no place for Iftikhar after the inclusion of Imad, Usman, and Azam and having Fakhar, and Shadab in the team. Instead, give a chance to some youngsters."

Smartush: "Assalam o Alaikum Rvel, isn't is astonishing that few months earlier i was asking you about the curious case of Usman Khan that will he play for Pakistan or will PCB neglect him..Just how fast the night changes."

19.2
W
Mohammad Amir to Clarkson, 1 run, OUT, Pakistan hold their nerve and get over the line. Amir bowls it full on middle and off, he spanks it down the ground towards long-on and the second was never on, Amir collects the throw calmly and whips off the bails. Pakistan win by 9 nine runs! Another enthralling contest that could've gone either way Shadab kept his cool and his throw was spot on, Amir collected it on one bounce and W O'Rourke was well short of his crease

W O'Rourke run out 0 (2m 0b 0x4 0x6) SR: -

19.1
0
Mohammad Amir to Clarkson, no run, Bowls a stunning yorker just outside off, it jagged away as well, can't lay bat on it
19.1
W
Mohammad Amir to Sears, 1 wide, OUT, Terrible mix-up in the middle, Amir bowls a wide down the leg side and Sears wanted to bring Clarkson on strike, Clarkson was already inside the crease and Sears went for a belated attempt to run to the other end, knowing that every step was futile, Pakistan need one more wicket, New Zealand a few hits to win the series!

BV Sears run out 7 (17m 6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 116.66

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs | NZ: 167/8 (12 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.78, RRR: 12.00)

  • Josh Clarkson37 (24b)
  • Ben Sears7 (6b)
  • Abbas Afridi2-0-24-0
  • Mohammad Amir3-0-39-0
18.6
0
Abbas Afridi to Clarkson, no run, Gets the yorker right, dipping in from just outside off, perfect execution of a yorker, he jams the bat down and gets beaten
18.5
1
Abbas Afridi to Sears, 1 run, Another full delivery punched down towards mid-on, was keen on taking the second but decides against it in the end
18.5
1w
Abbas Afridi to Sears, 1 wide, Flips it full and outside leg, misses the yorker by a mile, just 13 off 8! Who is going to win?

New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st5TA BlundellTL Seifert
2nd76MG BracewellTL Seifert
3rd16MG BracewellMS Chapman
4th0MG BracewellCE McConchie
5th6JDS NeeshamCE McConchie
6th22JDS NeeshamJA Clarkson
7th0JA ClarksonZGF Foulkes
8th12IS SodhiJA Clarkson
9th31JA ClarksonBV Sears
10th1JA ClarksonW O'Rourke