New Zealand crush Pakistan to clinch T20 series 2-1

WELLINGTON: New Zealand defeated Pakistan with a crushing 95-run victory in the third Twenty20 match on Friday to clinch the series 2-1.

The Pakistani side put up a dismal performance with the bat yet again, with wickets falling early in the innings and the entire team sent packing for just 101 runs in chase of a 197-run target.

Pakistan never managed to get their chase on track and were reduced to 15-3 within the third over.

The team lost 4 wickets by the fourth over, five wickets by the eighth, and 7 wickets before the end of the 11th over, with the entire team being bowled out in just the 16th over.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed showed some resistance by scoring 41 runs off 52 balls before he too was caught by Milne off Elliot in the 13th over, leaving Anwar Ali and Wahab Riaz to follow him soon to the pavilion.

But other than Shoaib Malik, who made 14, none of Pakistan's batsmen notched double figures.

Milne shined with 3 wickets for 8 runs, while Elliot picked up 3 for just 7 in his two overs.

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Earlier, Pakistan skipper Shahid Khan Afridi had won the toss and decided to bowl first. But Pakistan were left to rue their decision as Martin Guptill and captain Kane Williamson gave New Zealand a rollicking start with an opening stand of 57 runs.

New Zealand made 196 runs for five wickets, with Corey Anderson scoring 82 not out off 42 balls with the help of six boundaries and four sixers.

Pakistan had suffered an excruciating defeat in the previous match, after the Kiwis opening batsmen decimated them a crushing ten-wicket victory in Hamilton., breaking the record for the highest partnership for any wicket in T20s.

The visiting Pakistan side now play the Kiwis in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series starting from Monday, January 25.