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AUCKLAND: Pakistan is set to face New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, with the first match scheduled to be played on 12 January at Eden Park in Auckland.
This will mark left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first assignment as captain, having taken over the reins from Babar Azam.
Fourth-ranked Pakistan last played T20Is back in April 2023, when they faced New Zealand at home for a five-match series played in Lahore and Rawalpindi.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who has been named Shaheen’s vice-captain, was Pakistan’s leading run-getter in the series. Right-arm pacer Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler during that assignment.
Leg-spinner Usama Mir, pacer Mohammad Abbas Afridi and wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah are the uncapped players in the squad while the returning trio of Sahibzada Farhan, Azam Khan and Aamir Jamal also adds depth to the squad.
Schedule
1st T20I – January 12, 2024 at Eden Park in Auckland – 11:40 AM IST
2nd T20I – January 14, 2024 at Seddon Park in Hamilton – 11:40 PM IST
3rd T20I – January 17, 2024 at University Oval in Dunedin – 5:30 AM IST
4th T20I – January 19, 2024 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch – 11:40 AM IST
5th T20I – January 21, 2024 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch – 5:30 AM IST
Squads
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt) (except game 3), Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson (game 3 only), Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ben Sears (games 1 & 2), Lockie Ferguson (games 3, 4 & 5)
Pakistan’s squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicket-keeper), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicket-keeper), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan.
