The Gaddafi Stadium, which hosted the Pakistan Super League 8 final a month ago, is all set to host the T20 series between Pakistan and New Zealand from tomorrow. The Babar Azam-led Pakistan team will play their first T20I here after October 2022. Pakistan have won 10 out of 18 matches at this ground since 2015 and the venue has provided cricket fans with great action at 8.13 per over. Runs are being scored. This is uncharted territory for the Kiwis as they have never played a T20I in Pakistan. He has played two Tests and three one-day internationals in Karachi on the tour of Pakistan in December and January, but a completely different pitch will welcome him at the Gaddafi Stadium. Pakistan already have the upper hand as they have beaten New Zealand four times in the last five matches. Green shirts captain Babar Azam says about the Pakistan New Zealand series. “It’s a great feeling to be back in Lahore in Pakistan colours. It will be an exciting series as we bring together the young talent and experience of senior players in this excellent squad. More than a year away from the T20 World Cup. is left and we will try to find our weaknesses and overcome them in the next five matches. This series will also help us prepare for the ODI series that follows because in this series too we will more or less They are the same players and this series will give us a good opportunity to prepare for the Asia Cup and the World Cup later on.” New Zealand captain Tom Latham said, “This is an exciting tour for our team and we know that we will be up against a quality Pakistan team which will be a huge challenge. We are obviously missing a few of our senior players, but this will give others opportunities and I know the team is really looking forward to testing themselves. We will rely on the experiences we had on the tour here a few months ago where we managed to play some good cricket in both the Tests and the ODI series.” According to the schedule, T20 matches will be played on April 14, 15 and 17 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, after which the action will shift to Rawalpindi where the last two matches of the series will be played on April 20 and 24.
Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ehsanullah, Imad Wasim, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saeem Ayub, Shaheen. Shah Afridi, Shaan Masood and Zaman Khan
New Zealand Squad: Tom Latham (capt, wicket), Chad Bowes, Mark Chapman, Dean Cleaver, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Adam Milne, Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Nesham, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ash Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young