Lahore: All-rounder James Neesham held his nerve in the final over to give New Zealand a dramatic four-run win over Pakistan in the third T20 international in Lahore yesterday despite Iftikhar Ahmed’s brilliant innings.
Ahmed brought Pakistan back into the contest from 88-7 with a whirlwind 24-ball 60 as they attempted to chase down New Zealand’s 163-5.
Needing 15 to win from Neesham’s final over, he hit a six and a four to reduce the target to five off the last three deliveries.
But Neesham had Ahmed caught at long-on by Daryl Mitchell and then after a dot ball dismissed last man Haris Rauf in the same manner.
Ahmed led the fightback with Faheem Ashraf as the pair added 61 for the eighth wicket, with Ashraf holing out after a 14-ball 27 studded with two sixes and as many fours.
Ahmed smashed six sixes and three fours.
The victory means New Zealand trail the five-match series 2-1 after Pakistan won the first two games, by 88 and 38 runs, also in Lahore.
BRIEF SCORES
New Zealand 163-5 in 20 overs (T. Latham 64, D. Mitchell 33; Haris Rauf 2-31, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-33) v Pakistan 159 all out in 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 60, Faheem Ashraf 27; J. Neesham 3-38, R. Ravindra 2-28, A. Milne 2-37)
Result: New Zealand won by four runs
New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham (right) celebrates after the dismissal of Pakistan’s Mohamed Rizwan during the third Twenty20 international in Lahore on Monday. (AFP)
