Pakistan and New Zealand will face each other in the third T20 of the ongoing series on 21st March at Eden Park.
Match Preview:
In the current five-match Twenty20 International series, New Zealand leads Pakistan 2-0. The hosts have a great chance to win the series when play moves to Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, March 21. Pakistan, meanwhile, desperately needs a change of direction to maintain its ambitions.
Despite missing important players like Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, and Rachin Ravindra, the Michael Bracewell-led New Zealand team has dominated both games and displayed all-around excellence. The Kiwis have outperformed Pakistan with bat and ball, appearing to be in total control despite having a diminished roster.
In contrast, Pakistan has had difficulty establishing itself. Their batting problems persisted in the second game as their redesigned T20I team collapsed for just 91 runs in the series opener, setting a new low. The team has been beset by poor shot selection, a failure to manage pace and bounce, and a lot of cheap dismissals.
In a rain-shortened second T20 International, Pakistan’s total of 135/9 was far from sufficient, even with a strong 46 off 28 from captain Salman Ali Agha and fleeting appearances from Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi. New Zealand’s aggressive batting lineup has also been unable to be contained by their bowling squad, which was supposed to be their strongest suit.
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, the Kiwi openers, have been devastating; in the second game, Seifert thrashed Afridi for 26 runs in a single over. With a sunny forecast for Auckland, early wickets will be crucial if Pakistan wants to turn things around. They need a solid start to end their five-match losing record in Twenty20 Internationals, which dates back to their tour of Zimbabwe last year, since they have yet to win a toss in this series.
Probable Playing XI:
New Zealand (probable): 1 Tim Seifert, 2 Finn Allen, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 James Neesham, 6 Mitchell Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell (capt), 8 Zakary Foulkes, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Kyle Jamieson, 11 Jacob Duffy/Ben Sears
Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Haris (wk), 2 Hasan Nawaz, 3 Salman Agha (capt), 4 Irfan Khan, 5 Shadab Khan, 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Jahandad Khan, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Mohammad Ali
Pitch and weather report:
With the exception of a 2023 match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, teams that batted first won the final four games in Auckland, despite the fact that New Zealand bowled in the first two and won both.
Given that Eden Park is generally regarded as a high-scoring field and that Friday is scheduled to be rain-free with nighttime lows of less than 20 degrees, the audience should be amused for the entire 40 overs.
Head-to-head record:
New Zealand and Pakistan have faced off in 46 T20Is, with Pakistan holding the upper hand, winning 23 matches. New Zealand has secured victory in 21 encounters, while two games ended with no result.
Prediction:
Given how New Zealand performed in the first game, they are favourites to win the second encounter as well.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan: Tapmad, Tamasha, Ten Sports,
New Zealand: TVNZ+
India: SonyLiv app and website
Others: CricHD
