New Zealand will host Pakistan in the white ball format, which gets started on March 16th. Both teams will feature first in the 5-match T20I series before they head into the 3 ODIs. T20Is are scheduled between March 16th and March 26th, while the ODIs are played from March 29th to April 5th.
Both New Zealand and Pakistan are largely equipped with fringe players, with the latter being in the transition phase, having dropped two of their trump cards, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, for the shortest format.
Match Details:
New Zealand vs Pakistan, 1st T20I
Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchruch
Date & Time: March 16th at 6:45 AM IST and 2:15 PM Local Time
Live Telecast & Streaming: Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV, Amazon Prime Video, and FanCode
The BLACKCAPS & WHITE FERNS are preparing to play in front of sold-out crowds during the upcoming T20I double-headers against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with the University of Otago Oval the first venue to put the full-house sign up.⬇️ #NZvPAK https://t.co/wW5U31Rq2H
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 14, 2025
What is the Pitch Report for NZ vs PAK, 1st T20I?
The game will be played after the New Zealand Women vs Sri Lanka Women’s T20I, which makes it a rare doubleheader in the International event. The surface has produced contrasting outcomes in the 11 T20Is it hosted, where the scoring pattern largely lies in the range of 160-180, and only on five occasions have the teams crossed the 200-run mark. Teams chasing hold a 64-win record in T20Is at this venue, and hence, bowling first is a better option.
What is the Head-to-Head Record in New Zealand vs Pakistan T20Is?
Total Matches Played: 44
New Zealand Won: 19
Pakistan Won: 23
Recent form:
New Zealand: Lost, Won, Won, Won, Lost
Pakistan: NR, Lost, Lost, Lost, Won
NZ vs PAK, 1st T20I Probable Winners:
New Zealand are expected to win this match.
What is the Expected, Probable Playing XIs for NZ vs PAK, 1st T20I?
New Zealand
Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert / Mitchell Hay (wk), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, William O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy / Ben Sears.
Pakistan
Mohammad Haris (wk), Omair Yousuf, Hasan Nawaz / Usman Khan, Agha Salman (c), Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed.
Injury Updates:
Currently, the players from both squads are doing well and fit. It will be added when there is an update.
Haere mai | Welcome 👋
The Pakistan T20 squad arrived in Aotearoa, New Zealand today ahead of the five-game KFC T20I series starting at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday, March 16 #NZvPAK #CricketNation #cricket pic.twitter.com/FtT7rRhhAO
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 13, 2025
What are the Fantasy Cricket Top Picks, Players for NZ vs PAK, 1st T20I?
Top Pick – Batter
Mark Chapman has a great bat swing and, on his day, can launch an attack on any kind of bowling unit. The 30-year-old southpaw has made 1617 runs at an average of 27.4 with the best score of 104*.
Top Pick – All-Rounder
Michael Bracewell will aim to carry the success of the Champions Trophy into the shortest format. His numbers in T20Is are quite good, as he made 259 runs and picked up 28 wickets across 27 matches.
Top Pick – Bowler
X-Factor:
Shaheen Afridi emerged as the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in T20Is last year with 36 scalps in 23 matches with the best figures of 4 for 30.
What are the Fantasy Suggested teams for NZ vs PAK, 1st T20I?
1. Mohammad Haris, Mark Chapman, Finn Allen (c), Irfan Khan, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Agha Salman (vc), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Abbas Afridi, William O’Rourke.
2. Usman Khan, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell (vc), Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, James Neesham, Agha Salman, Khushdil Shah (c), Kyle Jamieson, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf.
Fuelling the intensity: Pakistan team trains to take on New Zealand in the T20I series 🏏#NZvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/IEHyeCKncu
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 14, 2025
Pre-Match Analysis:
New Zealand have locked in their 15-man squad for the 5-match T20I series with all-rounder Michael Bracewell set to take charge of the team for the first time on home soil. With regulars Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, and Glenn Phillips currently unavailable due to IPL commitments, the selectors have handed an opportunity for a few of their established players and also for the returning stars Finn Allen, James Neesham, Tim Seifert, and Ish Sodhi. Mark Chapman, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jacob Duffy, William O’Rourke, and skipper Michael Bracewell, who were all part of the Champions Trophy squad that lost to India in the final, keep their places in the T20I side. Matt Henry, who was picked for the 4th and 5th T20Is, will be further assessed following his shoulder injury.
To manage the workload for their bowlers, William O’Rourke and Kyle Jamieson have been selected for the first 3 T20Is, while Zak Foulkes joins the squad for the final 2 T20Is.
Speaking about their combination, Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, and Daryl Mitchell are the genuine batters in the mix. One of Tim Seifert and Mitchell Hay will be picked as a wicket-keeper batter. James Neesham and Michael Bracewell will serve as all-rounders. William O’Rourke and Kyle Jamieson will spearhead the bowling attack. Ish Sodhi is the only specialist spinner in the squad.
It seems Pakistan has moved on from the Babar and Rizwan era in the shortest format as they look to bring in the bold approach rather than sticking it to the old traditional template. With less than 12 months left for the next year’s T20 World Cup in the sub-continent, they are looking to build the squad and named Agha Salman as their skipper, who has already led in 4 T20Is last year. Shadab Khan, who last played a T20I during Pakistan’s horror run in the T20 World Cup in the Americas last year, has been recalled and appointed as the vice-captain.
The top-order batting features new faces such as Omair Yousuf, Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and comeback star Mohammad Haris. The side is bolstered by all-rounders Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, and Jahandad Khan. They have retained their front-line quicks, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, while Naseem Shah didn’t cut. Watch out for their genuine tweakers, Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem.
