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Eden Park Contributes To Pakistan's Fielding Horror As Irfan Niazi Takes Nasty Fall

Soumyajit Dutta

Irfan Niazi takes nasty fall while fielding [Source: @Rahman879792/X.com]Irfan Niazi takes nasty fall while fielding [Source: @Rahman879792/X.com]

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In a thrilling encounter at Eden Park, Auckland, Pakistan faced New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series. Pakistan, trailing 2-0, needed a win to stay alive in the series. New Zealand batted first and posted a competitive 204 runs on the board, thanks to Mark Chapman's explosive 94 off 44 balls. 

The match saw solid performances from both teams, however, one moment during New Zealand's innings caught the eyes pointing at ground management where Irfan Niazi slipped nastily while fielding.

Irfan Niazi's Attempt To Field Turns To Nasty Fall

A video circulating on social media shows a bizarre yet unfortunate moment during New Zealand's innings. On the 7.4th delivery bowled by Shadab Khan, Mark Chapman played a sweep shot towards deep backward square leg. 

The fielder, Irfan Niazi, who is often considered one of the best fielders of Pakistan, stationed there sprinted to his right but slipped nastily on the outfield, allowing the ball to race away to the boundary.

The incident not only cost Pakistan four runs but also highlighted their struggles in the field throughout the match. While this particular fielding mishap cannot be blamed on the fielder, it calls for Eden Park's better ground management.

Pakistan Dominate in Style

Despite this fielding blunder, Pakistan delivered an emphatic performance. Pakistan chose to bowl and after New Zealand’s strong start led by Chapman and Michael Bracewell, Pakistan bowlers, particularly Haris Rauf, restricted the Kiwis to 204.

In response, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Haris gave Pakistan a flying start with a 74-run opening stand. Nawaz continued his onslaught alongside Salman as Pakistan cruised to victory with four overs to spare.

This win keeps Pakistan alive in the series at 2-1, setting up an exciting fourth T20I. While the fielder’s slip may have been a lowlight, it didn’t stop Pakistan from producing one of their most dominant performances of the series.