The Pakistan cricket team was reportedly visiting New Zealand to play two test matches and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches in December 2020 and January 2021. The Test Series is part of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship 2019-21. New Zealand Cricket announced in August 2020 that the tour was going ahead and collaborated with their government during the COVID-19 pandemic to comply with biosecurity. New Zealand Cricket announced the full schedule on 29 September 2020.
Match preview:
Team Pakistan is on a T20 style roll and this year has beaten numerous nations in T20I cricket. Last week in a three-match T20I series, they cleaned out the Aussies. The key to the bat was Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez, while Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, and Shaheen Afridi were the picks among the bowlers responsible for demolishing the Australian team. Earlier this year they also defeated New Zealand in the T20I series.
After a break of seven months, New Zealand is in its first international assignment and would expect to get all the guns blazing in the shortest format of the game. They have named a good squad with the correct mix of power hitters, bowlers, and seasoned players. Although they have few injury problems, they still have a talented squad prepared to challenge Pakistan’s mighty team. By putting a good show into the first encounter, they would expect to start the tour on a good note.
Pitch Report:
The match will be held at Eden Park, Auckland on 18 December 2020. Not much lateral movement is expected from the pitch, which will give the batsmen a lift. However the proportions of the field tilt the conditions marginally in favor of the batters and it is, therefore, possible to predict a significant total.
Weather Report:
The day of Eden Park Auckland on 18th December 2020 is expected to be partly cloudy. For the new Zealand vs Pakistan cricket match, it would be a fairly decent day with 10% chances of precipitation. The wind is blowing at a speed of 18 km per hour and the humidity level is supposed to be 27% where the temperature is minimum 14°C and the maximum is 21°C for the New Zealand vs Pakistan match.
Probable line-ups:
New Zealand Twenty20 squad for game one against Pakistan: Mitchell Santner (capt), Todd Astle, Doug Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner
New Zealand squad for games two and three: Kane Williamson (capt), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
Pakistan named a squad of 35 players for the tour. On 22 November 2020, Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tour due to a fever and did not travel with the team to New Zealand.
As a result, Shadab Khan was named as the captain of Pakistan’s squad for the T20I series. Shadab Khan will serve as Babar’s deputy in the New Zealand vs Pakistan cricket.
The 35-man squad’s notable omissions include Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Amir, and Shoaib Malik.
Match Prediction:
New Zealand is expected to win the New Zealand Vs Pakistan cricket match as they are currently in a good form leading the current T20 series against West Indies 2-0 and all set to win the third game today and whitewash the windies.
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