Chapman stars as New Zealand level series 2-2
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RAWALPINDI: Mark Chapman smashed a super unbeaten 104 to enable New Zealand level the five-match T20I series against Pakistan 2-2 when they conquered the hosts by six wickets here at the Pindi Stadium Rawalpindi on Monday night.
Together with Jimmy Neesham (45*) Chapman put on a rapid 121 for the fifth wicket stand as New Zealand chased the 194-run target with four balls to spare after losing just four wickets.
It was virtually a Chapman show who struck four sixes and 11 fours during his 57-ball unbeaten knock to take the game away from Pakistan.
Neesham, on the other hand, smashed two sixes and four fours during his 25-ball feat to help Chapman in the run-chase.
Chasing a tough total New Zealand had a disastrous start when Shaheen Shah Afridi removed Tom Latham (0) and Will Young (4) in the first over of the innings. Imad Wasim (2-21) then had Chad Bowes (19) to put Pakistan in command.
However Chapman looked in command and runs were coming from his blade with an enviable ease.
The moment Shadab Khan dropped Chapman on 67 he never looked back. Shadab also was wayward with the ball, conceding 29 runs in just two overs. Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan (98*) was unlucky to have missed his second T20 international hundred as Pakistan hit up 193 for 5 in 20 overs after being put into bat first. The total could have been over 200, had the tempo continued in the same vein as was seen during the first 17 overs. The quest for a century took over Rizwan’s nerves as he was seen playing with extra care in the last overs.
At the outset, two powerful sixes off Rachin Ravindra by Rizwan kick-started Pakistan’s aggressive mode in the very second over. Some exciting drives by Babar Azam (21) kept up the momentum as Pakistan raced to 50 in the fifth over before Blair Tickner picked two wickets on successive deliveries to peg back Pakistan’s progress. Babar was the first to fall followed by Mohammad Haris (0) on the very next ball. When Saim Ayub (0) mistimed a push off Ish Sodhi off his own bowling, Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmad (36) were forced to regroup afresh.
Both nudged around, taking singles and twos and hitting fours and sixes in between to increase the tempo.
While Rizwan was on the rampage, Iftikhar presented Tickner (3-33) his third wicket after playing a quick-fire innings, studded with three boundaries and two sixes. Iftikhar and Rizwan’s stand gave fresh impetus to Pakistan’s innings. Pakistan crossed 130 in the 15th over with Rizwan making his intentions very clear. Imad then joined Rizwan in making his stay at the wicket highly fruitful, fetching 68 runs for the fifth wicket in just 5.3 overs before Imad (31) sacrificed his wicket to help Rizwan reach his hundred. Rizwan even then was left standard at 98 as he missed a cut on the last delivery of the innings, managing just one bye.
Score: Pakistan 193 for 5 in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 98 not out, Iftikhar Ahmad 36, Imad Wasim 31, Babar Azam 19, Blair Tickter 3-33).
New Zealand 194 for 4 in 19.2 overs (Mark Chapman 104 not out, James Nesham 45 not out, Imad Wasim 2-21, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-48)