New Zealand vs Pakistan: Fourth T20 cricket match – as it happened

That’s it from the live page.

We’ll be back with the final match of the series in two days.

Can Pakistan pull one back?

Plenty of live coverage between now and then with the Asian Cup page already under way with Adam as Iran face Japan and the AFCON meeting between Senegal and Cameroon to come later.

From me, Kevin Hand, it’s goodbye for now.

Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi admits his side threw that game away.

“The way the game started was good for us, but in the middle overs, we didn’t take our opportunities,” Shaheen told NZTV.

“One hundred seventy was a good total on this wicket, but with those missed chances, we could have won this one.”

“We knew the new ball might do a little bit, and the way Shaheen and that bowled, it made it challenging up the top,” Mitchell told TVNZ.

“For Phillips to come out and build a partnership like that and to finish it off, we’ll take that for sure.”

What a blow to Pakistan after such a good start with the ball.

It was a vastly improved performance from the first three games of the series.

We take a 4-0 series lead in Ōtautahi - Christchurch 🏏

A New Zealand T20I record 4th-wicket partnership (139) between Glenn Phillips (70*) and Daryl Mitchell (72*) leading the team to victory. Catch up on all scores | https://t.co/o9Xq34Wc2h 📲#NZvPAK #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/Zc7MEkou1h

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 19, 2024

Mitchell pulls Rauf for four off the first ball of the over.

Phillips uppercuts for six over cover – what a shot.

The Kiwis are nearly there.

Zaman was short and only just off target.

Mitchell goes for the big shot as well as he pulls Zaman off a length for six more over midwicket.

Four to win.

Phillips hammers Rauf for six off the second ball of the over.

That’s more than Rauf conceded in total in each of this first two overs.

The bouncer is usually a strength from Rauf.

Mitchell backs deep into his crease and hits a lofted drive back over the bowler.

The next ball is swung for two and the Kiwis are in a rush to get this done now. 15 off the over.

Brilliant fightback – can Pakistan find a twist?

Mitchell hooks Shaheen for six to bring up his fifty. Great knock from the man who was player of the match in the opening game of the series.

Just 34 balls for his fifty.

Eleven off the over and Shaheen finishes with 3-34 off his four overs.

The skipper being bowled out is not ideal for Pakistan.

Zaman pulls an over back for Pakistan.

Just six runs off it.

It is reaching the stage that the fielding team need a wicket though, the balance of power is shifting with the batters well set.

Phillips thumps a six back over Nawaz and then drops a single next ball to bring up his 50 off 41 balls.

New Zealand are certainly back in this and it’s game on.

Mitchell looks for a similar shot when he gets the strike but he picks out Farhan – it’s a terrible drop.

Second big miss of the innings for Pakistan. Will it be their fielding that costs them? Both batters have had a life now.

A reverse sweep last ball from Mitchell ends the over with another boundary.

Mitchell hooks Wasim’s third ball for four then steps away and flays a cut backward of point for back-to-back boundaries.

One, or both, of these two batters will look to go big now and turn this game.

Whichever remains, if the other falls, sees the job home.

It won’t be that simple as Pakistan have found form with the ball.

Nawaz nearly gets out of the over conceding a two and two singles and he nearly gets a wicket to finish.

Instead, as Phillips rocks back and edges an attempted punch, the ball flies just wide of the keeper for four.

An apology for the bowler from Phillips!

Just five runs off Rauf’s second over. Same as his first.

And thoughts of an appeal for caught behind after an attempted hook to a very sharp bouncer.

This is a wonderful contest between bat and ball.

Nawaz nearly picks up Mitchell who pulls to deep square but Wasim doesn’t seem to pick it up.

The ball drops just short of the fielder, who barely moved.

The pair reach a fifty partnership.

Now 89 are needed to win from 60 at the half-way stage.

The Kiwis are taking a liking to Nawaz.

Four off the first ball and a single off the second.

Then a slip in the outfield allows Phillips to get back for a third from a cut.

Another over and another boundary for New Zealand. Wasim drops short this time and Mitchell hooks the seamer backward of square for four.

Three singles in addtion off the over.

If the Kiwis can keep wickets in hand then it is a modest chase.

A boundary at last for New Zealand.

Nawaz drops short and Phillips pulls him for four early in the over.

Five singles off the over otherwise.

Wasim concedes two twos and two singles off his first over.

Pakistan are fully on top here.

It’s not the batting surface everyone expected.

Zaman concedes just three singles off the final over of the power play.

Pakistan were 51-1 at the same stage.