Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st T20I : Preview and Predicted Playing XI
After outclassing Australia in all three facets of the game, Pakistan will look to extend their dominance in the shortest format, when they take on New Zealand in the first T20I at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, October 31.
Both teams have played 18 T20 internationals against each other with the Asians leading the head-to-head 10-8. Both nations last faced each other in this format at Mount Maunganui in January 2018. Electing to bat first, Pakistan posted 181 on the board after their 20 overs. Then restricted Kiwis at 163 runs to win the match by 18 runs.
Pakistan
Pakistan are enjoying their winning run in T20I format. The Asians have won 14 out of the 16 T20I matches they have played since the start of this year. The hosts recently whitewashed Aussies in same format, which was their tenth consecutive series win.
Batting
Babar Azam smashed two half-centuries and scored 163 runs in recently concluded T20I series against Australia to occupy the top spot on the ICC rankings. While Mohammad Hafeez scored 111 runs in the series and these two will pose the major threat to Kiwi bowlers.
Except these two, the host will also bank on the likes of Fakhar Zaman, who impressed everyone with this attacking play in Test series. While in case of top order failure, Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed will bear the responsibility to anchor the innings in the middle order.
Bowling
Shadab Khan is the world's second-best T20I bowler and topped the charts with six wickets against Australia. The leg-spinner will look to continue his good run and choke the Kiwis as well. While Imad Wasim and Shaheen Afridi also picked up four wickets each and will be backed by skipper to rout down the kiwis middle order.
Expected Playing XI
Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand
The Kiwis are set to make a comeback in shortest format after a gap of eight months. Like Aussies, They too have not been consistent in this format, they have lost six and won just three out of the nine matches played this year. While most recent assignment in this format was the Trans-Tasman Tri-Series held in February 2018, The Kiwis managed to reach the final of that series but could not win it as they lost to Australia by 19 runs (D/L method).
Batting
Colin Munro is having a strike-rate of around 164 in this format and was their leading run-getter from this squad in that series with 176 runs. He will be their key batsman and will be expected to counter from the start. While Ross Taylor, Mark Chapman and Kane Williamson are other guys that can pose threat to the Asians lineup and team will need them to score big on that occasion.
Bowling
Tim Southee is New Zealand's most successful bowler in the shortest format with 62 wickets in 51 matches and him together with Adam Milne are expected to do the early damage. While Ish Sodhi is the third-best T20I bowler in ICC rankings and had five wickets to his name in Trans Tasman series. He will be their go-to bowler against Pakistan and is expected to do major damage to the Asians.
Expected Playing XI
Kane Williamson (C), Mark Chapman, Ross Taylor, Glenn Phillips, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson and Colin Munro.