Rawalpindi T20 between Pakistan and New Zealand called off after dramatic hailstorm

Black Caps denied chance to level five-match series

Ground staff cover the pitch after heavy hailstones rain stop the play of fourth Twenty20 cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Thursday, April 20, 2023. (AP Photo / Anjum Naveed)

A sudden hailstorm at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium forced the fourth T20 between Pakistan and New Zealand to be abandoned on Thursday, ending the tourists' hopes of winning the five-match series.

The Black Caps made a promising start to their bid to level the series at 2-2 and had reached 164-5 when the hailstorm arrived with seven deliveries remaining in their innings.

Mark Chapman had reached 71 from 42 balls when the teams returned to the dressing rooms.

Skipper Tom Latham (13) provided the Kiwis an aggressive start as he smashed Pakistan’s premier fast bowler Shaheen Afridi for three boundaries in the first over after Babar Azam won the toss and elected to field.

Latham did not last long when Babar turned to Imad Wasim’s left-arm spin inside the powerplay, which earned Pakistan two quick wickets. Latham top-edged Wasim to deep square leg as he tried to sweep the spinner and Will Young (six) was clean bowled off a delivery that stayed low.

Bowes, who made 54, showed early aggression against Afridi when he hit three more boundaries in the left-arm fast bowler’s second over as New Zealand raced to 50-2 in the powerplay.

But Wasim was brilliant with his left-arm spin and had Daryl Mitchell stumped in his third over before finishing with 3-19.

Bowes revived New Zealand with a 54-run fourth wicket stand with Chapman as the opening batsman raised his maiden T20 half-century with a four and a six.

Chapman said it quickly became apparent that play would not resume.

“Hail wasn't something we thought was on the cards. It whited out the whole outfield, it was something we hadn't seen before,” the middle order batsman said.

“We're looking forward to that fifth game. Even drawing a series against a very strong Pakistan side in their own conditions is no mean feat.”

The final T20 takes place in Rawalpindi on Monday and will be followed by a five-match ODI series between the two teams starting on April 27.