WELLINGTON: James Neesham claimed a five-wicket haul, while Tim Seifert played an unbeaten knock of 97 runs to help New Zealand thump Pakistan in the final match of the five-match T20I series here at Sky Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a paltry 129-run target, New Zealand successfully chased down the total in 10 overs after losing two wickets to win the series 4-1.
Seifert led New Zealand’s charge with the bat, smashing 97 runs from 38 balls, which featured ten sixes and six boundaries.
Seifert and Finn Allen (27) stitched a 93-run opening stand to put the home team in the driving seat before Sufiyan Muqeem provided Pakistan with the first breakthrough.
Sufiyan added another wicket to his tally as he removed Mark Chapman (3).
Daryl Mitchell (2*) joined Seifert, and they comfortably steered their side to a thumping eight-wicket victory.
New Zealand invited Pakistan to bat first after winning the toss, and Jacob Duffy drew first blood with the wicket of Hasan Nawaz (0) in the second over.
Ben Sears removed Mohammad Haris, who scored a scratchy 11 off 17, bringing Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha to the crease.
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Meanwhile, Duffy dismissed Omair Bin Yousuf (7) to leave the Green Shirts reeling at 25-3 inside the power play.
Salman remained unfazed on his end as he lost two more partners before vice-captain Shadab Khan joined him and added 54 runs for the sixth wicket.
James Neesham broke the budding stand with the wicket of Shadab, who scored 28 runs from 20 deliveries with the help of five boundaries.
New batter Jahandad Khan (1) also fell prey to Neesham in the same over, leaving Pakistan struggling at 108-7.
Salman top-scored for Pakistan with a 39-ball 51, laced with seven boundaries, including one six, before becoming Neesham’s fourth victim.
Sufiyan Muqeem was also snared in the same over by Neesham, who claimed his career-best bowling figures of 5-22.
Haris Rauf (6) remained unbeaten as Pakistan managed to reach 128-9 in their allocated 20 over against a dominant New Zealand attack.
Besides Neesham’s five-wicket haul, Duffy claimed two wickets for the Black Caps, while Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi each bagged one.
New Zealand XI: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke
Pakistan XI: Salman Ali Agha (c), Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Ali