Cricket Match Prediction | New Zealand vs Pakistan | 3rd T20I | Mar 21 – Can NZ win the series with 2 matches in hand?  

NZ vs PAK Match Analysis

New Zealand and Pakistan will play each other in the 3rd match of the 5-match T20I series, which will be played on March 21, 2025, at 12:15 AM BST at Eden Park, Auckland. 

New Zealand secured another comfortable victory over Pakistan in the second T20I on Tuesday, winning by five wickets with 11 balls to spare. While the contest was closer than the first match, which NZ had dominated with a nine-wicket win and 59 balls remaining, they still faced little trouble sealing the series lead.

Pakistan must elevate their performance in this match to stay competitive against the Black Caps, who will secure an unassailable 3-0 lead if they clinch another victory on Friday.

NZ vs PAK Team Preview & Squads

New Zealand

New Zealand demonstrated their squad depth by resting Kyle Jamieson and Tim Robinson for the second T20I, replacing them with Ben Sears and Jimmy Neesham, who played key roles in the victory. They may opt to rest those two again for this match, bringing them back for the final games of the series. However, New Zealand finds itself in an enviable position with a 2-0 lead and plenty of squad options.

On Tuesday, opener Tim Seifert once again proved his ability to perform at the international level. His explosive 45 runs off 22 balls at the top of the order earned him the Player of the Match award and quickly dispelled any early concerns in the home dressing room during their chase.

Earlier, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Jimmy Neesham, and Ish Sodhi all claimed two wickets each while maintaining impressive economy rates. Given Pakistan’s struggles with the bat, New Zealand’s bowlers will be confident of delivering another strong performance in this T20I.

New Zealand Squads

New Zealand Squads

Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Tim Robinson, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Tim Seifert, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke, Finn Allen, Mitchell Hay, Daryl Mitchell. 

Pakistan

Pakistan, with a squad featuring several inexperienced players, needed their seasoned campaigners to step up in the second T20I. While some managed to contribute, it wasn’t enough to level the series.

Surprisingly, Shaheen Shah Afridi endured another tough outing, conceding 31 runs in his three wicketless overs. This was unexpected, especially after he bowled a maiden in the opening over before Tim Seifert took him on in the third.

Captain Agha Salman impressed with the bat, while vice-captain Shadab Khan provided a valuable lower-order contribution. Meanwhile, Haris Rauf and Khushdil Shah stood out with the ball.

With the series on the line, PAK will need all their key players firing on all cylinders to keep their hopes alive and head into the weekend at 1-2 rather than 0-3.

Pakistan Squads

Pakistan Squads

Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Agha Salman, Usman Khan, Irfan Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Omair Yousuf. 

New Zealand vs Pakistan outfield report 

Eden Park, Auckland

We anticipate that both captains will arrive at the pitch with the intention of batting first if they win the toss before this match, as teams that bat first have had the most success in recent T20I matches in Auckland.

Auckland is expected to experience a warm day with highs of 24 degrees.

Over the years, Eden Park, a famous stadium, has received some extremely high ratings. On Friday night under the lights, whichever side bats first is projected to post a par score of more than 200.

New Zealand vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches 

In their last 5 matches, NZ won 4 and PAK won 1.

New Zealand vs Pakistan Prediction 

Cricket analysts predict that New Zealand has a 78% chance of winning.

Disclaimer: This cricket prediction is based on the author’s insights and analysis. Readers should consider the points discussed and draw their own conclusions.