Pakistan are currently hosting New Zealand in a five-match T20I series ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the two sides contested in the third T20I on Sunday, April 21.
The action for the third T20I resumed at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, which was also the venue for the first two T20Is.
The first T20I was washed out due to rain, while the second T20I marked Babar Azam's return to captaincy with a one-sided win.
New Zealand, however, bounced back in style to level the series 1-1. The match could have been won by Pakistan, if not for some shambolic fielding.
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If you have been following cricket since a long time, you must have come across the phrase "catches win matches."
That certainly held true during the third T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand in Rawalpindi.
Batting first, Pakistan posted 178 runs on the board at the end of their 20 overs, riding on valuable contributions from openers Saim Ayub and Babar Azam, as well as Irfan Khan and all-rounder Shadab Khan.
In reply, Mark Chapman scored an unbeaten 87 off just 42 balls to guide the Kiwis over the finishing line, winning the game by seven wickets and 10 balls to spare.
As good as Chapman's innings was, he was offered three reprieves from the Pakistan fielders. First, Naseem Shah dropped him at fine leg off Shadab's bowling when he was batting at 16. New Zealand's score at the point was 72-2 after 8.2 overs.
Then, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan dropped an easy catch in the 13th over, bowled by Abrar Ahmed, while Chapman was batting at 36.
The third catch was dropped on the first ball of the 17th over, again bowled by Abrar. With 21 needing off 24 balls, the match was already out of Pakistan's hands.
𝘿𝙧𝙤𝙥 𝙄𝙩 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙃𝙤𝙩 🎵
— FanCode (@FanCode) April 22, 2024
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.#PAKvNZ #FanCode pic.twitter.com/aCSs7cGtiC
With the series locked in at 1-1, Pakistan and New Zealand will square off for the fourth T20I on April 25 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the final T20I also taking place at the same venue on April 27.
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