PAK vs NZ: New Zealand opt to bowl first in fifth Pakistan T20I
The last match of the T20I series is being played at Gaddafi Stadium
New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first in the fifth T20I against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday with the aim of winning the clash to win the five-match series 3-1.
The toss took place at 7:00 PM (PST) in Lahore where both the skippers, Babar Azam and his counterpart Michael Bracewell, were present.
The 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
Having lost in their previous two matches, there is no room for error as despite having a full-strength squad, Babar Azam’s men trail the five-match series by 2-1 against a relatively inexperienced New Zealand team.
The hopes of clinching the series are gone, Pakistan, at best, can draw it by winning the last match and this is what the Green Shirts are playing with in mind.
Remember, in the fourth T20I, Babar Azam’s side came close to chasing the target down but fell four runs short as all-rounder Imad Wasim couldn’t take his side over the line in the last over.
After being put into bat first by Pakistan captain Babar Azam, the visitors posted 178/7 while Pakistan finished on 174/8 in the chase.
O’Rourke was the pick of the bowlers for the Black Caps, picking three wickets for 27 runs while Ben Sears took two for the same number of runs.
Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I series schedule
April 18 — 1st T20I, Rawalpindi: Match called off due to rain
April 20 — 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi: Pakistan won by seven wickets
April 21 — 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi: New Zealand won by seven wickets
April 25 — 4th T20I, Lahore: New Zealand won by four runs
April 27 — 5th T20I, Lahore
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