Pakistan down New Zealand to draw T20I series

Skipper Babar Azam scored a solid half-century, while spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi took four wickets. Pakistan overcame New Zealand by nine runs in the fifth and final Twenty20 international in Lahore.

Azam’s 44-ball 69 and Fakhar Zaman’s 33-ball 43 took Pakistan to 178-5 in their 20 overs before Shaheen claimed 4-30 to restrict New Zealand to 169 in 19.2 overs, squaring the series at 2-2.

Pakistan’s win came only in the final over, with 12 needed. Josh Clarkson, 38 not out, threatened to pull off a heist, but two runouts in Mohammad Amir’s over sealed the home win, much to the delight of a full house at Gaddafi Stadium.

The first match of the series was abandoned while Pakistan clinched the second and New Zealand the third by identical seven-wicket margins — all in Rawalpindi.

New Zealand took the fourth match, also in Lahore, by four runs.