Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st T20I 2023 Preview: Likely Playing XIs, Key Battles, H2H and More About PAK vs NZ 1st T20I in Lahore
Pakistan are coming into the series after a disappointing series loss against Afghanistan but having defeated New Zealand previously in the semi-final match of the ICC T20I World Cup, they will be feeling confident enough to defeat a depleted Black Caps side, who will be playing without their experienced and senior players.
Pakistan square off against New Zealand in the first of the five-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium on April 14, 2023, Friday. The match will start at 7.30 PM and the toss is at 7 PM. The last encounter between the two sides ended in a victory for the men in green unit when they defeated the Black Caps by seven wickets in the semi-finals of the 2022 ICC T20I World Cup in Australia. Before the series gets underway, let us look at how the two sides fare. PCB Chief Najam Sethi Reveals Pakistan Could Lose $3 Million in Revenues If They Skip Asia Cup 2023.
Heading into the limited-overs series against the Black Caps, Pakistan have announced a formidable and full-strength side for the five-game T20 series. They have retained the same side that played in the last series against Afghanistan in the UAE that ended in a losing cause.
When the series gets underway, Pakistan would want their batters, especially the likes of Babar Azam, Saim Ayyub, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Haris to come good with the bat if they are to put up a strong challenge. When it comes to their bowling department, Pakistan would be relying on their star bowlers like Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, and, Shadan Khan to pick up crucial wickets and restrict the opposition to a below par total.
New Zealand head into the series as underdogs after majority of their senior players have left the camp to join their respective franchise for the on-going Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. The team will get to see how the in-experienced players perform. This series provides New Zealand with a chance to try out various combinations and check their squad depth ahead of the crucial ICC ODI World Cup 2023 that starts from October of this year.
Kiwis’ youngsters will be given a chance to leave an impression with the bat and ball during the five-game T20I series. The batting department will be led by captain Tom Latham and batters in the rank of Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mark Chapman, and, Chad Bowes. Their bowling will be spearheaded by experienced bowlers like Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, and, Adam Milne. Chennai, Kolkata Could Well Be Pakistan’s Preferred Venues for Their ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Matches in India.
PAK vs NZ Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
New Zealand played against Pakistan 29 times and have emerged victorious 11 times while Pakistan were the winners on the remaining 18 times.
PAK vs NZ 1st T20I 2023 Key Players
Babar Azam (PAK)
Mohammad Rizwan (PAK)
Shaheen Afridi (PAK)
Tom Lathan (NZ)
Daryl Mitchell (NZ)
Matt Henry (NZ)
PAK vs NZ 1st T20I 2023 Venue and Match Timing
The PAK vs NZ 1st T20I 2023 Match will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on April 14 (Friday). The match will be played at 7:30 pm IST (Indian Standard Time) and the toss will be held at 07:00 pm IST.
PAK vs NZ 1st T20I 2023 Live Telecast and Online Streaming
Sony Sports Network has the broadcasting rights of the Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I 2023 series in India. Fans can tune into Sony Sports Network channels (Sony Sports Ten 5 and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD) to catch the live telecast of the PAK vs NZ 1st T20I Match on TV in India. JioTV and SonyLIV have the online Streaming rights of the Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I series 2023 in India. Fans can turn to the JioTV app or SonyLIV app to catch the free live streaming of the PAK vs NZ 1st T20I Match in India. 'Figment of Imagination' ICC Dismisses Speculations About Pakistan Playing Their Cricket World Cup 2023 Matches in Bangladesh Instead of India.
PAK vs NZ 1st T20I 2023 Likely Playing XI:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayyub, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Faheem Ashraf/Imad Wasim.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain &wk), Chad Bowes, Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister, Matt Henry
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 13, 2023 01:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).