The first Twenty20 International (T20I) match of the five-match home series between Pakistan and New Zealand is scheduled for today at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Michael Bracewell’s Black Caps, without some of its important players, will be up against the Green Shirts, led by newly appointed captain Babar Azam, who was just promoted back to the top position after leaving the squad in November of last year.
This is the third five-match series between the two teams in a 12-month span; the previous year, the Black Caps won the series 4-1 in their home country while Pakistan and New Zealand drew the four series in Pakistan by winning two games apiece.
The Men in Green have an advantage over the visitors in the game’s shortest format, with 21 wins and 17 losses versus the Black Caps. Both teams hope to take advantage of the chance to strengthen preparations and fine-tune their team combinations ahead of the 2024 T20I World Cup, which is scheduled for June.
Additionally, after resigning from international cricket, bowler Muhammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim are expected to return to the national team during this series.
