Fakhar Zaman says his side made a lot of mistakes during their loss against New Zealand in the fourth T20I at Lahore.

Jimmy Neesham had kept his cool to defend six off the last ball to clinch a four-run victory for New Zealand.

Pakistan needed 18 off the last over in their chase of 179 but Neesham came out in flying colours despite being hit for a boundary off the first ball, giving a packed Gaddafi Stadium crowd heartbreaks.

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

"We made a lot of mistakes today; we didn't get a good start either. Then I and Iftikhar almost made the match," Fakhar said in post-match press conference.

"When your main players don't play, it does make a difference. But our main aim is the World Cup, so we are making a lot of changes for that.

"We made many changes even after winning the first match. In this match, we made five changes because our main goal is the World Cup."

Returning allrounder Imad Wasim (22 not out) managed to hit the last ball for a single as New Zealand took 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 Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June.

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

"Losing at the international level is not something anyone likes, but our main goal is the World Cup, so our combination must be strong for that. We will try to win the next match," he further added.