Cricket Prediction | Pakistan vs New Zealand | 1st T20I | April 18 – Let’s see who will win the 1st T20I

PAK vs NZ Match Analysis

Three months after Pakistan visited New Zealand to play a T20 series, New Zealand is now playing with Pakistan for a five-match T20 series in return for the courtesy.

New Zealand and Pakistan have met eighteen times in this format since the current decade, fifteen of those times occurring in the last three years alone. It makes sense to assume that having these teams play so many games in such a short period would have aided in their mutual acquaintability.

NZ has been forced to send a youthful and inexperienced side to the Indian subcontinent for this trip, as nine of their star players have chosen to respect their IPL obligations, and a few more are away on county stints as part of their contract.

This implies that familiarity will no longer be a determining factor.

PAK vs NZ Team Preview & Squads

Pakistan

The Pakistan bowling stocks look considerably more dangerous now that players like Naseem Shah have returned from a protracted injury layoff and players like Mohammed Amir and Imad Wasim are back in the fold. Leggie Shadab Khan has been struggling for a season or two with his lack of form when he has the ball in his hands. Fortunately for Pakistan, though, there is some diversity and depth to the attack thanks to the return of left-arm spinner Imad Wasim, who can put down a few overs during the powerplay.

It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to see Pakistan employing as many as six or seven bowlers (four of whom are spinners) to bowl their required number of overs given their all-around possibilities. When it comes to batting, Pakistan’s attack has enough of weapons from head to toe. Up top, Mohd. Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Fakhar Zaman provide strength and solidity.

Iftikhar Ahmed, Usman Khan, and Shadab Khan form a formidable middle order that can cause a lot of trouble for New Zealand’s young attack. Babar Azam has been re-instated as captain in spite of certain contentious circumstances. According to reports, Shaheen Shah Afridi lost his captaincy and never made a move to stand down.

Pakistan Squads

Pakistan Squads

Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Imad Wasim, Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Abrar Ahmed.

New Zealand

For this five-match T20 series, New Zealand was forced to field a second-string squad because nine of its first-choice players chose to participate in the IPL. Captaincy has been handed to one of the elder members of the touring group, Michael Bracewell. It’s a little difficult to justify the choice given that they had the option of selecting one of the squad’s more seasoned players, such as Ish Sodhi, Jimmy Neesham, or Mark Chapman.

In addition, Bracewell didn’t get to take part in the domestic T20 competition Super Smash and only recently made his way back to competitive cricket following a protracted injury layoff through the Plunket Shield. In the opening game against Rawalpindi, half of the team will be inexperienced with playing in a foreign country and will be young.

Among the present group, only Ben Lister was able to participate in three matches during New Zealand’s visit last year. Nonetheless, William O. Rourke and Jacob Duffy showed well during the home season and will want to continue that performance in this series. The club appears to be lacking in batting depth due to the absence of a few key players, thus it’s likely that the management will bring in a few all-rounders, including Josh Clarkson and Cole McConchie.

New Zealand Squads

New Zealand Squads

Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell (WK), Mark Chapman, Ben Lister, Jimmy Neesham, William O’Rourke, Dean Foxcroft, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi. 

PAK vs NZ outfield report

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

This game has historically favored the team pursuing the ball. The captain who wins the coin toss will almost certainly decide to field first in order to capitalize on the circumstances in the second inning.

The weather for the game seems good, so there shouldn’t be any interruptions from rain for the entire contest.

For the most part, Rawalpindi’s surface has been batting-friendly. The just finished PSL is evidence that the flat grounds here have been favorable to batting, even though there hasn’t been a single total above 200 in recent international matches. In that match, Multan Sultans and Islamabad United amassed 460 runs in 40 overs, a renowned score.

PAK vs NZ Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

These two teams have met in five matches, in which NZ won four matches and PAK won one.

Pakistan vs New Zealand Prediction

Winning the toss

• Pakistan

Player of the Match

• Pakistan – Babar Azam

Most runs

• Pakistan – Babar Azam
• New Zealand – Michael Bracewell

Most wickets

• Pakistan – Naseem Shah
• New Zealand – Jimmy Neesham

Most sixes

• Pakistan – Babar Azam
• New Zealand – Michael Bracewell

Team Scores Batting First

• Pakistan – 200+
• New Zealand – 190+

According to cricket analysts, Pakistan has an 80% chance to win.

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