Big picture: More entertainment in store
Despite the batter-friendly conditions, Pakistan’s bowlers – especially the quicks – did largely well to keep New Zealand to 204, particularly with the chase proving no total was safe on the surface. They did leak a few runs in the middle, but the only thing that perhaps did not work out was legspinner Abrar Ahmed bowling in the powerplay. With two more games to go, Pakistan will want to use this momentum to turn the series around their way and get even.
New Zealand, who had been playing their best till the last game, will be ruing the missed opportunity of sealing the series. Despite early wickets, however, they did not let the scoring slow down, and that was largely thanks to Mark Chapman’s 94 off 44 balls.
New Zealand are playing with an almost second-string side, while Pakistan too had a revamp of their T20I team. Both teams have made their approach clear – they want to entertain with the bat – and will hope it works in their favour as the action moves to Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand: LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: WLLLL
In the spotlight: Haris Rauf and Mark Chapman
New Zealand (probable): 1 Tim Seifert, 2 Finn Allen, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Jimmy Neesham, 6 Mitch Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell (capt), 8 Ish Sodhi, 9 Zakary Foulkes/Will O’Rourke, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Ben Sears
Pakistan got in Abbas Afridi for Jahandad Khan for the previous game, and also brought in an extra spinner in Abrar for Mohammed Ali. They are unlikely to change a winning combination for the fourth T20I.
Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Haris (wk), 2 Hasan Nawaz, 3 Salman Ali Agha (capt), 4 Irfan Khan, 5 Shadab Khan, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Abbas Afridi, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Haris Rauf
Pitch and conditions: Clouds expected
The average first-innings score at the Bay Oval since 2020 is 176. Teams batting first have won four out of the last five completed matches at the venue. Though it may remain a bit cloudy, no weather interruption is expected on Sunday.