Big picture: More entertainment in store
Pakistan set their sights on playing high-risk cricket, and were finally able to execute it to perfection in the third T20I. The approach was also apparent from the get-go, and all three batters who batted on the day - Mohammad Haris, Hasan Nawaz and Salman Agha - stuck to it. After struggling against pace and bounce in the first two games, they feasted on the New Zealand bowling attack on what seemed like a belter, with Nawaz finishing with a 45-ball 105* as records tumbled. Pakistan also averted a series loss with the win.
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.
Form guide
New Zealand: LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: WLLLL
In the spotlight: Haris Rauf and Mark Chapman
Haris Rauf came into the XI after missing the first T20I, and showed Pakistan what they were missing. After picking 2 for 20 in the second T20I, he finished with 3 for 29 on a batter-friendly Eden Park surface in the third, relying on change of pace to control the run flow and get his wickets. Rauf finished with an economy of 7.25 in that match, the best across both teams. After good outings against Australia and Zimbabwe late last year, Rauf went wicketless in the two T20Is against South Africa, but bounced back on conditions suited to his bowling in New Zealand.
Mark Chapman hasn't been New Zealand's most consistent batter in the format but showed in the third T20I what he can do on his day. He went ten innings without a half-century in the lead up to the match, which also included six single-digit scores. But with Tim Siefert and Finn Allen departing early, the left-hander started off by taking on Shaheen Shah Afridi and then legspinner Abrar to get settled. He never slowed down even as wickets fell at the other end, missing out on a century after hitting 11 fours and four sixes on the way.
Team news
Matt Henry, who was ruled out of the first three T20Is, will miss the remainder of the series too as he continues his rehab from shoulder injury. Zakary Foulkes, who was named his replacement, will continue to be part of the squad. Will O'Rourke, who was originally listed only for the opening three games, will remain with the squad for the final two matches in place of Kyle Jamieson. One of Foulkes or O'Rourke is expected to make the XI in place of Jamieson.
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.
Stats that matter
Since 2020, New Zealand and Pakistan have played each other in 26 T20Is. That is the most either team has played against any opponent in this period. New Zealand's next most-frequent opponents have been India (14 matches), while Pakistan's have been England (16 matches).
Among the top ten teams in the T20I rankings, New Zealand are the only team against whom Pakistan have won a T20I since 2024, having won won four out of 13 matches against them since then.
Sodhi has 27 wickets against Pakistan, the most he has against any opponent in T20Is, followed by 25 against India.
Chapman needs 32 runs to become the leading run-scorer for New Zealand against Pakistan in T20Is. Currently, Kane Williamson leads the charts with 667 runs against Pakistan.
