NZ vs ENG: New Zealand hands England heavy loss in third T20 to stay alive in series

New Zealand ended England's ambitions of a clean sweep in their Twenty20 International series by surging to a 74-run victory in the third match

Birmingham: New Zealand ended England’s ambitions of a clean sweep in their Twenty20 International series by surging to a 74-run victory in the third match at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Finn Allen’s 53-ball 83 helped the New Zealanders score 202-5 and set England an imposing target to take a 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

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England’s big hitters were blunted by some disciplined bowling, with only Jos Buttler (40 off 21 balls) making any real headway, as his world champion team was dismissed with nine balls remaining having always been well behind the required run rate.

Fit-again pacer Kyle Jamieson had impressive figures of 3-23 in four overs, along with spinner Ish Sodhi (3-33).

The fourth and final T20I is at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, before the teams play four one-day internationals to warm up for the 50-over ICC Cricket World Cup starting next month.

England won the first T20I by seven wickets on Wednesday and the second match by 95 runs on Friday.