Seifert and Neesham lead New Zealand to 4-1 win over Pakistan

Wellington

New Zealand claimed a commanding 4-1 series victory over Pakistan after an eight-wicket win in the fifth and final T20I at Sky Stadium on Wednesday.

New Zealand’s bowlers, spearheaded by Jimmy Neesham’s stunning five-wicket haul, restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 128-9. Chasing down the target, Tim Seifert played a brilliant knock, scoring an unbeaten 97 off 38 balls to guide his team to victory in just ten overs.

Pakistan, opting to bat first, struggled against New Zealand’s relentless bowling attack. Will O’Rourke and Jacob Duffy put the visitors on the back foot early, reducing them to 24/3 within the powerplay. Neesham’s devastating spell in the middle overs left Pakistan reeling at 52/5. Though Salman Agha and Shadab Khan fought back with a 54-run partnership, Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 22 runs, ending their innings at 128.

In reply, Seifert and Finn Allen (27) put on an explosive start for New Zealand, setting a record for the highest-ever T20I powerplay total for the country, reaching 92/1. Despite a brief fightback by Sufiyan Muqeem, who dismissed Allen and Mark Chapman, Seifert finished off the match with a flurry, including three consecutive sixes in the final over, to seal the series for New Zealand.

Seifert, named Player of the Series, reflected on his performance, saying, "I just wanted to play my natural game, and it paid off tonight."

BOX

Scoreboard
Pakistan: 128/9 in 20 overs (Salman Agha 51, Shadab Khan 28; James Neesham 5-22)
New Zealand: 131/2 in 10 overs (Tim Seifert 97, Finn Allen 27; Sufiyan Muqeem 2-6) – New Zealand won by 8 wickets.