In their pursuit of 179 runs, Pakistan needed 18 runs in the final over, but Neesham prevailed despite conceding a boundary on the first ball.
The packed Gaddafi Stadium was left disheartened by the narrow loss.
Following Pakistan’s unsuccessful chase, a young fan was visibly upset, shedding tears after witnessing his team’s inability to score the winning runs off the final ball.
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Opener Tim Robinson contributed a maiden half-century, guiding New Zealand to a total of 178-7 in their 20 overs, while pacer William O’Rourke’s figures of 3-27 helped restrict Pakistan to 174-8.
Returning all-rounder Imad Wasim, who remained not out at 22, managed just a single off the final ball, allowing New Zealand to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with the final game scheduled for Saturday in Lahore.
Pakistan suffered a seven-wicket loss in the third match after securing a win by the same margin in the second match. The first match was called off after just two balls, all three games being held in Rawalpindi.
These defeats pose a challenge to Pakistan’s full-strength squad as they prepare for the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies in June.
Despite missing key players due to the Indian Premier League, injuries, and unavailability, New Zealand can take confidence from their depth and performance ahead of the World Cup.
Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam lamented the loss of wickets at critical moments.
“We wanted to chase it with positive intent but we were unable to do so,” said Azam. “When you lose back-to-back wickets, you need a few overs to catch up but we got derailed in that period.”
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