Pakistan Set to Face New Zealand in First T20I Clash
Pakistan's captain said the team would look to experiment during the T20Is against New Zealand as part of their World Cup preparations.
Pakistan (PAK) and New Zealand (NZ) are gearing up for a five-match T20I series on Thursday, April 18. Following their defeat at the hands of the Kiwis during their previous encounter in New Zealand, Pakistan is seeking redemption with Babar Azam back at the helm as the white-ball captain.
The visiting Black Caps, currently touring Pakistan, boast an inexperienced lineup, with several key players engaged in the IPL 2024. Despite this, they are expected to put up a spirited fight against the formidable Pakistani side.
Pitch Report:
The pitch in Rawalpindi is an excellent batting track where the ball comes at a good speed to the bat. The outfield is also slow, but as the conditions will be overcast, it might help the pace bowlers a little bit. So the toss will be important, and batting second will be an advantage.
Weather Report:
The predicted weather for Thursday is not good, as there is an 80% chance of rain in the evening, during the time of the game. The temperature will be around 21°C with a humidity of 72% and a wind speed of 14 km/h.
PAK vs NZ Head-to-Head Record:
| Matches Played | 39 |
| Pakistan Won | 21 |
| New Zealand Won | 17 |
| NR | 01 |
Likely lineups:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Mark Chapman, Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Tim Robinson, Michael Bracewell (c), James Neesham, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi, Will O’Rourke
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