Mount Maunganui: New Zealand beat Pakistan by one hundred fifteen runs in the fourth T20 of five-match series.
Batting first, New Zealand scored two hundred twenty runs for loss of six wickets in allotted twenty overs.
In reply, Pakistan were all out scoring one hundred five runs in sixteen point two overs.
Chasing New Zealand’s 220-6, the visitors were skittled out for 105 in the 17th over. This victory gave the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.
The tourists slipped to 9-3 after two overs, with Jacob Duffy striking twice during his first over. Duffy’s first victim was Pakistan’s rookie opener, Hasan Nawaz, who had blasted his maiden century in the third match to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive in the series. After a scoreless start to his career, his 44-ball century became the fastest for Pakistan in T20Is. However, on Sunday, he was dismissed for yet another low score (1), continuing his all-or-nothing record for Pakistan.
At one stage, Pakistan were teetering at 56-8. It was all-rounder Abdul Samad’s 30-ball 44 which restored some credibility to their innings. Irfan Khan (24) was the only other batter to get to double figures. Duffy finished with 4-20.
The 115-run defeat was Pakistan’s biggest in terms of runs, eclipsing the 95-run loss against the same opposition in Wellington in 2016. Talking of unwanted records, they also suffered their biggest defeat in terms of balls remaining (59) in the first match of the series.
As far as New Zealand’s records are concerned, it was their second-biggest win, falling just short of their 119-run victory against West Indies in 2018 at the same venue in Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand lead the series three-one.