New Zealand outclassed Pakistan in the third Twenty20 international in Rawalpindi on Sunday as Mark Chapman singlehandedly led his side to victory to level the series.
Pakistan bowlers failed to produce wicket-taking deliveries in the match. They only managed to get three players out of the visitors. Chapman was not out for 87 runs. In the first innings, all-rounder Shadab Khan and skipper Babar Azam led Pakistan to 178-4 in the match.
Shadab hit a 20-ball 41 with two sixes and four boundaries while Azam scored a 29-ball 37 after Pakistan were sent in to bat by New Zealand on a flat Pindi Stadium pitch.
Opener Saim Ayub scored a robust 22-ball 32 and Muhammad Irfan Khan chipped in with a 20-ball 30 not out as Pakistan added 54 in the last five overs.
Azam and left-hander Ayub gave Pakistan a brisk start of 55 as the duo played some aggressive shots.
Shadab and Irfan boosted the innings with a brisk 62-run stand for the fourth wicket.
For New Zealand, leg-spinner Ish Sodhi was the best bowler with 2-25.
New Zealand, who lost the second match by seven wickets at the same venue on Saturday, made two changes with pacer Will O’Rourke and allrounder Zac Foulkes making T20I debut. They replaced Ben Lister and Ben Sears.
Pakistan rested pacer Mohammad Amir in a like-for-like replacement in Abbas Afridi. The first match, also in Rawalpindi, was washed out after just two deliveries.
The remaining matches are in Lahore on April 25 and 27.
