PAK vs NZ, 3rd T20I: Babar, Mahmood laud Shadab’s cameo but admit Pakistan was below-par in Rawalpindi defeat

Pakistan captain Babar Azam and head coach Azhar Mahmood defended the team’s tactics following a seven-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the 3rd T20I on Sunday while admitting that the home team was below par in Rawalpindi. Batting first, Pakistan scored 178 for four in 20 overs, with the new-look Kiwi team chasing the total inside 19 overs. Both, however, lauded Shadab Khan’s late cameo in the end for propelling the hostspast 170.

Despite turning a blind eye to the dipping scoring rate during the middle overs, where Pakistan managed 51 runs for the next seven overs right after the Powerplay, Babar admitted it was a good toss to win and put runs on the board; he, however, noted that his team scored at least 10 runs less than what they should have on this batting paradise.

While Babar said Pakistan caught up with the scoring rate at the death with some out-of-the-world smashing from Shadab, he pointed out Mohammad Rizwan’s injury as the reason behind the break in the momentum in the first innings.

“We did well with the bat,” Babar said at the post-match presentation.

“I don't think it [the slowdown] made much of a difference because we had caught up in the end. You can say we were ten runs short. Unfortunately, we had a bit of a setback with [Mohammad] Rizwan's injury because it wasn't easy for new batters.”

“But Shadab recovered well and had an outstanding partnership with Irfan [Khan]. In Pindi (Rawalpindi), 180-190 is a par score,” Pakistan's captain added.

Pakistan’s game to lose in Pindi

Pakistan got off to a flyer, with Saim Ayub and Babar completing a 50-plus run stand inside the Powerplay. However, after Ayub’s dismissal on 32 off 22, Pakistan saw a dip in the scoring rate. Later, Shadab Khan walked in and smashed 41 runs in 20 balls, includingfour fours and two sixes.

But New Zealand, without their 15 first-team players, had different plans, with attacking batter Mark Chapman delivering with his match-winning unbeaten 87 off 42 balls, whacking four biggies and nine boundaries.

Speaking on what went wrong, head coach Mahmood admitted his team was at least 20 runs short. Though he credited Chapman for his knock, Mahmood admitted his team needs to work on the flaws to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

"We were 15 to 20 runs short," he said. "We started very well, our score in the first six overs was 54, which is very good. In the end, Shadab's innings was excellent. In the middle period, we were slow. Between overs seven to ten, and then 11 to 15, the ball was gripping and we slowed down."

"These are the things we have to learn to improve. But you have to pay credit to the way Chapman played. In T20 cricket, if one man stands up, he can take the game away from you,” the head coach noted.

Meanwhile, the five-match series is tied at 1-1, with the fourth T20I scheduled on Thursday (April 25) in Lahore.