Fri Mar 21 06:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan’s Fightback Falls Short in Third T20 Against New Zealand
**Auckland, New Zealand:** New Zealand secured an unbeatable 3-0 lead in their five-match T20I series against Pakistan after a thrilling victory in the third match at Eden Park today. Despite a valiant effort from Pakistan, who won the toss and elected to bowl first, New Zealand’s strong batting performance proved too much to overcome.
Mark Chapman narrowly missed a century, scoring a crucial 94 runs before being dismissed by Shaheen Afridi. His partnership with Daryl Mitchell (17) and Michael Bracewell (31) formed the backbone of New Zealand’s innings. While Pakistan’s bowlers, notably Abbas Afridi (who took one wicket) and Haris Rauf (who took two key wickets including that of Bracewell) made inroads, New Zealand managed to post a challenging total of 204 runs.
Pakistan’s revised batting line-up, which saw the return of Abbas Afridi and Haris Rauf replacing Jahan Dad Khan and Mohammad Ali, were unable to chase down the total. The New Zealand bowling attack proved too strong, restricting Pakistan and securing a comfortable win.
The series now shifts to the fourth T20I, with New Zealand aiming for a clean sweep. Pakistan will be looking to salvage some pride and avoid a humiliating defeat in the remaining matches.
First Piper 