Hosts Pakistan put in a pitch-perfect display with bat and ball to beat New Zealand in the third and final T20I game played at Dubai. Sarfaraz and co. completed a clean sweep by winning the final game of the T20I series by 47 runs. Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez produced half-centuries to see Pakistan post a good score on the board. In reply, Kane Williamson was the only batman to show some fight as they the visitors were dismissed inside 17 overs.
In pursuit of 167 runs, New Zealand got off to a poor start as medium pacer Faheem Ashraf took big wicket of Colin Munro in the second over of the innings. Colin de Grandhomme was run-out to see New Zealand slump to 13 for 2 after 3.2 overs.
New Zealand Captain Kane Williamson showed the way and scored 60 off 38 balls to lead the fightback in the innings. Williamson added 83 with Phillips to see New Zealand get right back into the contest. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan turned the game in the favour of Pakistan by dismissing Williamson and Phillips in quick succession.
After the dismissal of Williamson, New Zealand capitulated badly as they lost their eight wickets in the space of five overs. For Pakistan, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim did most of the damage and picked up five wickets between them. Debutant Waqas Maqsood picked up two wickets in the game.
Earlier in the game, Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss for Pakistan and decided to bat first. Fakhar Zaman perished early in the innings as Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez led the revival in the innings. Azam and Hafeez added 94 runs to put Pakistan in the box seat to post a good score on the board.
Azam scored 79 runs off 58 balls with the help of seven fours and two sixes. He was dismissed by Colin de Grandhomme in the 16th over to see Pakistan lose their second wicket. Hafeez was once again produced unbeaten half-century with the help of four fours and two sixes.
For New Zealand, Seth Rance and Lockie Ferguson produced impressive spells for the visitors. Mohammad Hafeez was named the man of the series for his all-round effort with bat and ball in the three-match T20I series.
