Sports Bulletin Report
Auckland (New Zeeland): Pakistan are well-prepared to take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, which will be rolled into action on 12 January at Eden Park in Auckland. The first ball of the match will be bowled at 1110 PKT. This will mark left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first assignment as captain, having taken over the reins from Babar Azam.
Fourth-ranked Pakistan last played T20Is back in April 2023, when they faced New Zealand at home for a five-match series played in Lahore and Rawalpindi. Wicketkeepe-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who has been named Shaheen’s vice-captain, was Pakistan’s leading run-getter in the series. Right-arm pacer Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler during that assignment.
Pakistan’s squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicket-keeper), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicket-keeper), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jounior, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan.
