Preview of the First T20I Match: New Zealand vs Pakistan 2024/25

Pakistan’s T20I team is undergoing a significant transformation ahead of the next World Cup, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan omitted from the lineup. The management aims for a more aggressive approach, opting for an exciting top three of Mohammad Haris, Omair Yousuf, and uncapped Hasan Nawaz. New captain Salman Agha has stressed the need for “fearless” play. Meanwhile, New Zealand, despite missing key players on IPL duty, fields a strong side led by Michael Bracewell. The upcoming match will test Pakistan’s inexperienced but dynamic squad against a formidable New Zealand bowling attack.

Overview: Shifting Dynamics for Pakistan

For an extended period, they formed a formidable opening pair for Pakistan in T20Is. However, amid concerns regarding strike rates and optimizing powerplay performance, the management decided to alternate their positions in the batting lineup. They managed to reunite at the top, but now, with under a year remaining before the next T20 World Cup, both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been excluded entirely.

This marks a significant shift in strategy for Pakistan, possibly stemming from their inability to perform effectively at their own Champions Trophy, which, while an ODI event, has raised questions.

Pakistan has chosen to field three aggressive batsmen at the start. With Saim Ayub still unavailable, the anticipated top three consists of Mohammad Haris, Omair Yousuf, and the uncapped Hasan Nawaz — and all are known for their attacking styles.

Salman Agha, the new T20I captain, has highlighted the importance of enhancing their intent and approach, advocating for a “fearless” and “high-risk” style of play, noting that the squad possesses players who have demonstrated this aggressive approach in domestic cricket.

The revamped Pakistan team faces a tough challenge against a robust New Zealand side, despite the Kiwis missing several key players due to IPL commitments. They bring a strong bowling lineup, featuring Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, and Jacob Duffy, all likely to test Pakistan’s relative inexperience.

New Zealand’s squad, led by Michael Bracewell, is also missing some key batters, although Finn Allen returns along with Tim Seifert and Jimmy Neesham. Daryl Mitchell remains a steady presence. Mitchell Hay, Mark Chapman, and Tim Robinson should not be underestimated. Playing at home, they will consider themselves favorites, even without the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, or Glenn Phillips. This reshuffle may also provide insights into the composition of the World Cup squad for the upcoming year.

Recent Form

New Zealand LWWWL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLWW

Featured Players: Finn Allen and Mohammad Haris

Since netting 137 against Pakistan in January 2024, Finn Allen has been unable to exceed 50 runs in nine T20Is, reaching 25 runs only twice, with a peak score of 32. He played for Perth Scorchers in the BBL, but his performance was also lackluster, accumulating just 181 runs in ten matches. Allen, despite not being centrally contracted, harbors ambitions of participating in the T20 World Cup next year, understanding that he must combine his explosive nature with consistent performance. Last year, he amassed 275 runs during a five-match T20I series against Pakistan, making this series an ideal opportunity to regain his form.

Omair Yousuf has made only six T20I appearances—three at the Asian Games and three in Zimbabwe. Hasan Nawaz has played just three PSL matches and didn’t feature in the previous season. Consequently, Mohammad Haris emerges as the most seasoned player in Pakistan’s newly structured top three, with the responsibility resting on him to unleash the aggressive style of cricket the management envisions. It’s also a comeback series for Haris, whose last international outing occurred in September 2023.

Team Updates: The Return of Jimmy Neesham and Finn Allen?

Neesham, Seifert, and Allen are back in New Zealand’s lineup, with both Neesham and Allen expected to play pivotal roles. Sears and O’Rourke are anticipated to spearhead the pace attack alongside Jacob Duffy, New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in their previous T20I series against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Finn Allen, 2 Tim Robinson, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 James Neesham, 6 Mitchell Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell (capt), 8 Ben Sears, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Will O’Rourke, 11 Jacob Duffy

In addition to Nawaz, Pakistan may also give a debut to Abdul Samad, selected despite lacking PSL experience. Shadab Khan is back in the squad and is expected to lead the spin attack alongside Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Haris (wk), 2 Omair Yousuf, 3 Hasan Nawaz, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Abdul Samad, 6 Irfan Khan, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Shaheen Afridi, 9 Haris Rauf, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Abbas Afridi

Pitch and Conditions

The match will take place at Hagley Oval, coinciding with a double-header that features New Zealand facing Sri Lanka in a women’s T20I earlier in the day. Generally, teams score around eight runs per over at this venue, and the two T20Is played here last year between these teams were low-scoring contests, with New Zealand successfully chasing down 159, followed by Pakistan bowling the hosts out for just 92 while defending a total of 134.

Stats and Trivia

Shaheen Afridi boasts 33 wickets against New Zealand, significantly more than any other country (his next best is 13 against South Africa). Additionally, he has taken 13 wickets in New Zealand, the most he has in any foreign country aside from Pakistan and the UAE.
Finn Allen has smashed 31 sixes in just nine T20I innings against Pakistan, making him the leading hitter in this regard. He is also merely 134 runs short of becoming the fourth New Zealander to reach 500 runs against Pakistan in T20Is.
Mark Chapman is the only player to achieve 500 runs or more at a strike rate above 150 against Pakistan in T20Is, and he joins the ranks of just 10 batters to accomplish this against an opponent in T20Is.

Quotes

“We’ve likely focused more on ourselves lately. With a few young talents entering the Pakistan side, there’s an element of surprise. As long as we stay true to our aims, we should be well-prepared for whoever faces us.”
New Zealand’s stand-in captain Michael Bracewell

“This team is youthful, and we aspire to play fearless cricket, which necessitates high-risk strategies in today’s game. There may be setbacks with this approach, yet supporting our players is essential.”
Pakistan’s new captain Salman Agha

Abhimanyu Bose is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo