Rawalpindi (Web Desk): New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first against Pakistan in the first T20I being played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan face a second-string New Zealand side, led by Michael Bracewell, in the first of a five-match T20 series in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
As per the schedule, the second and third matches of the five-match series, will also be played at the same venue on April 20 and 21.
The fourth match of the series will be played on April 25 while the fifth on April 27 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
So far, 39 T20 International matches have been played between Pakistan and New Zealand in which New Zealand won 17 matches and lost 21, while one match ended without a result.
Pakistan’s highest score against New Zealand in a T20 International was 201 runs for the loss of 4 wickets which was scored by Pakistan on January 25, 2018 at Auckland.
New Zealand’s highest score against Pakistan was 226 runs for 8 wickets on January 12, 2024 at Auckland ground.
Teams
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Tom Blundell, Dean Foxcroft, Michael Bracewell (c), Jimmy Neesham, Ben Lister, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi.
