New Zealand Beat Pakistan By 7 Wickets In Fourth T20I

Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips combined to steer New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the fourth Twenty20 international in Christchurch on Friday and place them on the verge of a seri

The 31-year-old threatened to reach his second T20 international century but was denied the strike over the closing stages of an innings that featured a relatively low percentage of boundaries: six fours and two sixes.

Allrounder Mohammad Nawaz was the only other player to surpass 20 runs, whacking pace bowler Adam Milne for three successive sixes in his final over to post 21 off nine balls.

Babar Azam, who scored half-centuries in each of the first three games, fell for 19 when he skied an attempted pull off Milne in the seventh over.

Pace bowler Afridi had Pakistan right in the contest when he knocked over Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Will Young cheaply and finished with figures of 3-34.

Allen's wicket was particularly cherished following the opener's sensational 137 in game three on Wednesday.

However, Mitchell and Phillips gradually pulled momentum back in New Zealand's favour and Pakistan potentially blew their last chance at victory when Sahibzada Farhan dropped a straightforward chance in the deep offered by Mitchell in the 14th over.