Pakistan VS New Zealand T20 International Series 
3rd Match Played at Napier, December 22, 2020 

Brief Scorecard 
Pakistan 177/6 in 19.4 Overs (Mohammad Rizwan 81, Mohammad Hafiz 41, Tim Southee 2/20, Scott Kuggeleljn 2/40) beat New Zealand 173/7(Devon Conway 63, Tim Seifert 35, Glen Phillips 31, Faheem Ashraf 3/20, Shaheen Afridi 2/43, Haris Rauf 2/44) by 4 Wickets.
Series won by New Zealand 2-1 
Player of the Match: Mohammad Rizwan
Player of the Series: Tim Seifert 

Pakistan after losing the first two matches by wide margins bounced back in the third match showing marked improvements in all departments.

Executing bowling plans efficiently first restricted the home team to management target (Kiwis scored 123/7). Looking hungry for winning the batting clicked for the first time in the series as they overhauled the target scoring 177/6 in 19.4 overs. New Zealand won the series 2-1. Pakistan avoided series white wash and gathered momentum before the test series.
 
Winning the toss and electing to field Pakistani bowlers Shaheen and Faheem immediately stuck to their task of bowling on the right channel making run scoring much more difficult for the home side. The team looked eager and keen for turning around. By the 8th over Guptill, Williamson and Seifert were back in the hut with score looking 3/58. Conway (63) and Phillips (31), the two new finds of Kiwi middle order resurrected the innings adding 51 runs in the 4th wicket. Pakistan kept it tight. However, Pakistan’s bowling and fielding was much more athletic on the day as the home team could never really ran loose and bat Pakistan out of the match. 173/7 remained within manageable proportion for Pakistan batting second in the day night match. Faheem (3/20), Shaheen (2/ 43) and Haris (2/44) bowled exceptionally well on the day. 

Rizwan looked great in the chase. Though Haidar Ali fell to a great catch by substitute fielder DJ Mitchell early on Rizwan (89) and “Professor “Hafiz (41) adding 72 in the 2nd wicket partnership set the foundation effectively in the Kiwi hunt. Kiwi bowlers created few sensations taking after the fall of the 3rd wicket at 141. But Rizwan kept it going. It required Iftikhar striking a match winning six on the fourth ball in the last over to take Pakistan across. A great win by 4 wickets. Pakistan salvaged pride in the dead rubber going down (1-2).

BDST: 1303 HRS, DEC 23, 2020
SMS