New Zealand thrash Pakistan by 45 runs to clinch the series by 3-0

New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 45 runs in the third match to clinch the series by 3-0 on Wednesday, at University Oval in Dunedin.

The hosts were again sent in to bat first in game three of the five-match series, posting a colossal target of 225 runs.

Finn Allen  with his record-breaking innings of 137 off just 62 deliveries featured a staggering 16 sixes, lifted New Zealand to a formidable total of 224-7 

Allen equaled the world record set by Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai.

Allen’s onslaught surpassed Brendon McCullum’s previous New Zealand T20I record of 123 and marked the highest men’s T20 international score by a Kiwi.

Pakistan’s captain Shaheen Shah Afridi persistant with his decision to field after winning the toss for the third consecutive time in the series, proved fatal.

In chase of the target, Pakistan batting collapsed and could post only 179 for seven.

The Green Shirts reached 95 for two in the 11th over, but fall of wickets derail their chase, losing four for just 39 runs.

Former skipper Babar Azam remained the top-scorer with 58 off 37 balls while Mohammad Nawaz contributed 28 off 15 in a late cameo.

The remaining two matches of the T20 series are scchedled to be played in Christchurch on Friday and Sunday.

PLAYING XI:

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi(capt), Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner(capt), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson