Mark Chapman hit a maiden unbeaten hundred to anchor New Zealand’s six-wicket win over Pakistan in the fifth and final Twenty20 in Rawalpindi on Monday, ending the five-match series level at 2-2. The 28-year-old smashed a 57-ball 104 in a rearguard action to lift New Zealand from a precarious 73-4 to chase down a stiff target of 194 with four balls to spare.
“We are very happy with how we levelled the series tonight and finished the job,” said Chapman. “It took a bit of adjusting in the first two games and it’s great to see that it worked out well.”
Mohammad Rizwan missed a century by two runs, but still guided Pakistan to a solid 193-5 in their 20 overs. Chapman led the fightback with a match-turning unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 121 off 58 balls with James Neesham, who scored a punishing 25-ball 45 not out as the duo toyed with Pakistan’s much-vaunted bowling attack.
“I was pretty thankful that Jimmy came out all-guns-blazing and took some pressure off me as well,” Chapman said.
Chapman, whose previous highest T20I score was 83 against Scotland at Edinburgh last year, completed his century off 54 balls with a brace off Shaheen Shah Afridi, waving his bat to an applauding dressing room.
In all Chapman hit 11 fours and four sixes while Neesham’s knock was studded with two sixes and four fours as the pair combined to help give New Zealand their 100th T20I win in 192 matches.
Source: eNCA
In other news – Generations: The Legacy actress Ditebogo Ledwaba graduates with honors at Wits
Generations: The Legacy actress Ditebogo Ledwaba, who plays the role of Mbali Diale recently graduated with an honours degree from Wits University.
The talented actress Ditebogo Ledwaba, who became popular for her role as Mbali in the SABC1 soapie Generations: The Legacy took to social media to celebrate her honours degree from Wits University. Learn more
