Latest Match Report – Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st T20I 2020 in the bright and sunny Auckland

All teams have new captains within the absence of the regulars – Mitchell Santner for NZ and Shadab Khan for Pakistan

Pakistan won the toss against New Zealand and elected to bat first

Shadab Khan, Pakistan’s captain in Babar Azam’s injury-enforced absence, won the toss and opted for the first strike within the first T20I in opposition to New Zealand in brilliant and sunny Auckland, and named a really completely different XI to the one which did responsibility within the closing fixture against Zimbabwe at dwelling in Rawalpindi final month.

Shadab himself, Mohammad Hafeez, Faheem Ashraf, Wahab Riaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been all within the line-up for this sport, changing Fakhar Zaman, Usman Qadir, Muhammad Musa, Mohammad Hasnain and Azam. New Zealand vs Pakistan is offered within the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the series

“Appears an excellent pitch, we wish to put a rating [on the board],” Shadab stated on the toss. “We’ll miss Babar but it surely‘s an alternative for the remaining to step up. We have ready effectively, and now it is the present time.”

That is only the ninth time a crew has opted to bat in 23 T20Is at Eden Park. Irregular although that will appear, it does monitor with Pakistan’s technique. They have a superb bowling assault, which is excellent at proscribing oppositions and at standing up when the stress is at its highest. Even so, Shadab and his males should buck the historical past given six of the eight earlier groups that attempted his trick did not win the sport.

New Zealand, after all, are without Kane Williamson, who’s again dwelling along with his accomplice Sarah Raheem, who delivered their first baby earlier this week. Mitchell Santner is their designated chief for this sport, and so they have a debutant in Jacob Duffy.

“We’re fairly comfortable to bowl,” Santner stated. “One other nice alternative to steer the aspect. Jacob Duffy makes his debut. Todd Astle and Doug Bracewell miss out. Each time you signify your nation, it is a huge deal, and he’ll take the problem on. Pakistan is a high-quality aspect, with tempo and spin and high quality within the batting. We’re prepared for them.”

New Zealand:     Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (capt), Mark Chapman, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner

Pakistan:      Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdullah Shafique, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan (capt), Khushdil Shah, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf