Pakistan Suffers Crushing Defeat in Fourth T20I

(Web Desk): Pakistan endured a humiliating loss in the fourth T20I against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui, bowled out for just 105 in 16.2 overs while chasing a target of 221 runs.

The Pakistan batting lineup struggled from the start, with wickets falling quickly. Jacob Duffy was the main threat, taking out Hasan Nawaz, Salman Agha, and Irfan Khan in quick succession. This left Pakistan at a precarious 9 for 3 after just two overs. Shadab Khan and Khushdil Shah also fell cheaply, reducing the team to 42 for 5 during the powerplay.

Abdul Samad provided some resistance with a gutsy 44 off 28 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes. However, he received little support from the rest of the lower order. Zakary Foulkes made things worse for Pakistan, taking 3 wickets for 25 runs, including those of Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. James Neesham and Ish Sodhi each took one wicket to help New Zealand wrap up the innings.

This defeat was Pakistan’s worst-ever in a T20I in terms of runs, surpassing their previous worst loss of 95 runs against New Zealand back in 2016.

Pakistan's batting performance was underwhelming, with no other batter managing to score more than 25 runs. The team struggled to form partnerships, and no partnership exceeded 20 runs. The pressure mounted, and Pakistan crumbled, suffering a heavy defeat. This loss gave New Zealand a 3-1 series victory, further highlighting Pakistan’s struggles during the tour.

Earlier in the match, New Zealand set a massive target of 221 runs. Opting to bat first, New Zealand started strong, with Finn Allen blasting 50 runs off just 20 balls at a stunning strike rate of 250.00. Tim Seifert added 44 off 22 balls, helping New Zealand reach 79/1 in the powerplay.

Middle-order contributions from Mark Chapman (24 off 16) and Daryl Mitchell (29 off 23) kept the momentum going, while Michael Bracewell finished strong, remaining unbeaten on 46 off 26 balls. The final five overs saw New Zealand accelerate, adding 63 runs at an impressive rate of 12.60 runs per over.

Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to control the scoring. Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan both went for 49 runs each, while Haris Rauf was the only bowler to shine, taking 3 wickets for 27 runs. Abrar Ahmed also took 2 wickets for 41 runs. Abbas Afridi claimed one wicket but was expensive, conceding 38 runs in his three overs. Despite a few breakthroughs, Pakistan found it hard to stop New Zealand’s aggressive batting.

Before the match, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first in the fourth T20I at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. New Zealand was leading the five-match series 2-1.

New Zealand pacer Matt Henry was ruled out of the fourth and fifth T20Is due to a shoulder injury. The New Zealand Cricket Board confirmed that Henry would focus on rehabilitation after injuring his shoulder while taking a catch during New Zealand's Champions Trophy semi-final win over South Africa earlier this month. This injury had already ruled him out of the final against India.

In the third T20I, Pakistan had defeated New Zealand by nine wickets, successfully chasing down 205 runs in just 16 overs. Hasan Nawaz played a starring role, scoring 105* off 45 balls. Skipper Agha Salman contributed with an unbeaten 51* off 31 balls, while Mohammad Haris added 41 off 20 before falling to Jacob Duffy. Pakistan finished at 207/1 with a run rate of 12.93.

In contrast, Pakistan’s poor performance in the fourth T20I highlighted the team’s struggles on the tour, and New Zealand’s dominant display sealed the series win.