Pakistan vs New Zealand in the opening T20I of the five-match home series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today. Babar Azam, who was reinstated as captain after resigning in November 2018, will lead the Green Shirts against Michael Bracewell’s Black Caps, who will look to make an impact without important players.
New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I begins
Last year, Pakistan and New Zealand drew the four series in Pakistan by winning two matches each. So, the Black Caps won the series 4-1 in their backyard earlier this year. Both teams are hoping to improve their preparations and team combinations for the 2024 T20I World Cup in June. The Men in Green have a 21-win, 17-loss advantage over the Black Caps in the shortest format of the game.
The series may also see bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim return to international cricket after retiring. The series may also feature Usman Khan and Muhammad Irfan Khan making their Pakistan debuts after their strong performances in the Pakistan Super League 9. Babar remarked, “This five-match T20I series holds a lot of importance for us as we look forward to preparing for the all-important mega-event.”
The star batter recognized that New Zealand would test Pakistan at various moments in the series, giving Pakistan a good workout. Bracewell, who leads the visitors in the five-match series, said they will play exciting cricket and advance the game. “Most of our guys grew up playing T20 cricket and are well-versed in it.
Pakistan is strong at home, therefore we’ll battle them there “said. The match starts at 7:30 pm with the toss at 7 pm. However, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain in Rawalpindi from today until April 21, which could hamper today’s and subsequent matches.
Match fixtures
- 18 April – 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
- 20 April – 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
- 21 April – 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
- 25 April – 4th T20I, Lahore
- 27 April – 5th T20I, Lahore
Squads for T20 2024
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan and Zaman Khan
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi and Zak Foulkes.
