Experienced all-rounder Jimmy Neesham kept his cool to defend six off the last ball to clinch a four-run victory for New Zealand in the fourth T20I against Pakistan in Lahore on Thursday.

Pakistan needed 18 off the last over in their chase of 179 but Neesham came through well despite being hit for a four off the first ball, breaking the hearts of a packed Gaddafi Stadium crowd.

Opener Tim Robinson hit a maiden half-century to lift New Zealand to 178-7 in 20 overs before pace bowler William O’Rourke claimed 3-27 to keep Pakistan down to 174-8.

Returning all-rounder Imad Wasim (22*) hit the last ball for a single as New Zealand take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series with the last game on Saturday, also in Lahore.

Pakistan also lost the third match by seven wickets after winning the first by the same margin while the first match was abandoned after just two balls – all three in Rawalpindi.

The defeats are a jolt to a full-strength Pakistan side in their preparations for the T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and USA in June.

New Zealand, missing a host of players due to the IPL, injuries and unavailability, can feel elated at their bench strength going into the World Cup.

Pakistan sensed they were in with a chance when Fakhar Zaman, who made 45-ball 61 with three sixes and four fours, lifted Pakistan from 79-4 with a 59-run stand for the fifth wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed who made a 20-ball 23.

But O’Rourke, playing only his fourth T20I, dismissed Ahmed to add to his wickets of Babar Azam (five) and Saim Ayub (20) to give New Zealand a boost.

Fellow pace bowler Ben Sears (2-27) claimed Zaman’s wicket with 33 needed off 14 balls.

Earlier, Robinson batted with aggression.

Robinson’s 36-ball 51 with two sixes and four fours lifted New Zealand – who were sent in to bat – to 93-1 in 10 overs before Abbas Afridi’s career best 3-20 helped Pakistan pull back.

New Zealand started briskly with Robinson and Tom Blundell, who made 28 off 15, putting on 56 for the opening stand in five overs.

But from 94-1 New Zealand lost three wickets, including that of dangerman Mark Chapman for eight, as Pakistan’s fielders held catches to back some good bowling by Abbas.

Dean Foxcroft chipped in with 34 off 26 deliveries and skipper Michael Bracewell added 27 to keep the scoreboard ticking as New Zealand managed 43 in the last five overs.

Pakistan were forced to make five changes as wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan and Muhammad Irfan Khan were injured while they rested Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed.

© Agence France-Presse