New Zealand vs Pakistan, 5th T20I - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

We are done for the T20Is. NZ bossed it with elan. But Pakistan will have a big names coming back for them in the ODIs and expect them to bounce back from this as Babar and Rizwan will be back in the fold leading the batting attack for the visitors. Their experience should come in handy. NZ will have Latham at the helm and few other additions as well. That should be a good contest and starts this weekend. We will be back with more cricketing action very soon. Bye bye for now...

Bracewell: The whole bowling unit has been outstanding. Jacob has stood up and has led the pack. The way we have been able to rotate the players. NZ cricket is in great place. Few guys were missing. The consistency we showed was pleasing. The way we bounced back from Auckland. Was pleasing. We were clinical in the rest of the 4 games.

Salman Ali Agha: They were outstanding. They outplayed us in the whole series. There were plenty of positives though. The way Hasan batted and Haris batted in Auckland. The way Sufiyan bowled today. When we were coming in here, the focus was on Asia Cup and the World Cup. I did alright. It doesn't matter when you lose the series. Completely different team in the ODIs. More experience. They have played in NZ before. It will be a different ball game.

Tim Seifert, Player of the Series: There was only one way to play. I wanted to play the way I wanted to play. The wickets were bouncy. Tonight, few shots got me away. You look at the match ups. Finn helped. We have played together. He is a great mate. It is great fun with him. Couple of weeks with the family and then off to the PSL. Few of these players would be my mates there.

James Neesham, Player of the Match: You don't get too many wickets in franchise cricket. The opening bowlers helped us. Always a privilege to play for NZ. Always jump in to play for this side. Always keen for the opportunity. More than happy to see the guys at the top to smack it around.

22:03 Local Time, 09:03 GMT, 14:33 IST: Seifert! That's how one will sum up this brief innings. 97 off 38 in a chase of 129. What more can we say? He just went hell for leather from ball one and spared none. Jahandad and Shadab went for special punishment. Only Sufiyan managed to trouble the Kiwis and picked up a couple of wickets to delay the proceedings. But Kiwis have won the series 4-1 and deservingly have done so in a convincing manner. They have been superb against an inexperienced Pakistan team which is trying to build a pool for the 2026 T20 WC. Evidence would suggest that Pakistan have a lot of work to do ahead of the Wc next year as most players looked out of sorts. Can barely spot any positives. Sufiyan could have been one had he been given a go earlier. Abrar looked decent. Their skipper batted with confidence but the rest of the batting barring one game capitulated in a meek manner. The conditions, the dimensions were just too tough for the Asian side. They just looked clueless be it with the bat or with the ball. Today, the pitch for a change was a spicy one and NZ bowlers were at it. Pakistan batters tried to fight it out with the help of Salman and Shadab but 128 was never enough.

Shadab Khan to Seifert, SIX, and finishes off just like that. Was a tossed up delivery, outside off, Seifert kneels down and slams it over wide long-off. That was hit so hard and long. NZ have won by 8 wickets with 10 overs to spare. Another hammering handed out to Pakistan. They go down 1-4 in the series. Seifert ends with 97! It is a pity that weren't enough runs for him to get a 100

Shadab Khan to Seifert, SIX, tossed up delivery, outside off, Seifert gets hold of that and slams it over wide long-on for a massive sixer. Moves to 91 now

Shadab Khan to Seifert, SIX, and massive again! On to 85. Shadab Khan has been poor with the ball and nothing has changed. Very full, outside off, Seifert slaps it and the ball goes through the hands of the man at long-off. Haris should have taken that but instead he palms the ball over long-off. He was close to his ropes and looked back and that move didn't help him

Shadab Khan to Mitchell, 1 run, drags that down to deep mid for a single as that was on the sticks

Shadab Khan to Seifert, 1 run, the ball plugs into the outfield. The man at long-off managed to get a hand on it and stopped it. Poor running and they get a single

Shadab Khan to Seifert, SIX, and slammed over deep mid! Was a flatter one on the sticks, Seifert flogged it over deep mid with a lot of power

Sufiyan Muqeem to Mitchell, no run, stays back and defends it under his eyes as that was tossed up at the sticks

Sufiyan Muqeem to Mitchell, no run, and a dot ball. 24 needed now. Tossed up ball, on the pads, Mitchell nudged it down on to the on-side and called for a single but was sent back

Sufiyan Muqeem to Seifert, 1 run, dabs the ball down to short third man and gets a single as the fielder dived to stop it

Sufiyan Muqeem to Mitchell, 1 run, too full, clipped down to long-on past the dive for a single

Daryl Mitchell, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Sufiyan Muqeem to Chapman, out Stumped!! Stumped. The batter was clueless there as he yorked the ball out. The ball spun back to the keeper who whipped the bails off after gathering it. That was very full, Chapman again missed the length of the delivery. The ball hit the cue end of the ball and rlled back. The batter wasn't aware where the ball went and was too late in dragging his foot back. Chapman st Mohammad Haris b Sufiyan Muqeem 3(7)

Sufiyan Muqeem to Chapman, THATS OUT!! Stumped!!

Sufiyan Muqeem to Chapman, no run, the impact has saved the batter. Chapman wanted to sweep it but missed the line of the ball. The ball was too full and hit on the boot. The head was falling over. But he did well to review it despite being given out by the onfield umpire