Kaif Afridi
The much-awaited T20 series between Pakistan and New Zealand is set to kick off on April 14, with the first match taking place at 9 pm Pakistani time. The series features five matches, with the second and third to be held on April 15 and 17 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and the remaining two to be played on April 20 and 24 in Rawalpindi.
This series is particularly significant because it marks the first time the New Zealand team has returned to Pakistan for a series since 2003 after security concerns led to the team abandoning their tour of the country in 2018.
The series also comes hot on the heels of a disappointing T20 series loss to Afghanistan for the Pakistani team, in which several young players failed to make an impact.
Despite this setback, the Pakistan team boasts a strong lineup including captain Babar Azam, wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan, and bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, who are expected to lead the attack. The team has been preparing hard for this series and will be looking to build momentum ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
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The New Zealand team, led by stand-in captain Tom Latham, will be hoping to put up a good fight against their hosts, despite the relative lack of experience in the squad. Key players to watch out for include Daryl Mitchell, who recently praised the Pakistani team as “world-class”, as well as Mark Chapman and Adam Milne.
The T20 series will be followed by a five-match ODI series between the two teams, with the first and second matches scheduled for April 27 and 29 in Rawalpindi, and the remaining three to be played in Karachi on May 3, 5, and 7.
Overall, cricket fans around the world are eagerly anticipating this clash between two of the sport’s most exciting teams, and the series promises to be a thrilling and closely-fought contest.
