Lahore, APR 27: Pakistan set a reasonable 179-run target against New Zealand following skipper Babar Azam and left-hand batter Fakhar Zaman’s solid resistance before the Kiwi bowlers at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium in the fifth and last T20I match on Saturday.
The Men in Green will have to defend 179-run target in order to level the series. If New Zealand chase this down, they will win the five-match series 3-1.
The hosts had a disappointing start with Saim Ayub only making 1. He was dismissed in the William O’Rourke in the second over.
Usman Khan joined captain Babar Azam and the pair recovered well by scoring quickly. Usman, playing his fourth T20, made 31 off 24 balls with the help of four boundaries.
Meanwhile, Babar looked solid tonight with his strokes. The 29-year-old registered his 34th fifty in T20Is and also claimed the record for most fours in the history of the format.
Babar has now 409 fours in 108 innings, which took him above Ireland’s Paul Stirling who hit 407 fours in 136 innings.
His innings was cut short by Ben Sears on 69 off 44 balls. He smacked six fours and two maximums at a strike rate of 129.16.
On the other hand, Fakhar Zaman took charge in the second half of the innings and continued his form from the last game.
He finished on 43 off 33 balls which included five boundaries.
Shadab Khan played 15-run cameo off just five balls which pushed Pakistan total to 170+.
Remember, Green Shirts only made one change from their playing XI which took place in the fourth T20I in Lahore where they were handed a narrow four-run defeat. Pacer Shaheen Afridi came in place of Zaman Khan.
Meanwhile, for the visitors, Tim Seifert, Cole McConchie and Zakary Foulkes made their way back into the squad.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi
