With revenge on their mind and looking to build up on the historic high of beating India, Pakistan take on New Zealand in their second Super 12 World Cup clash on Tuesday. Babar Azam’s team would be eyeing another big scalp in New Zealand, the team which recently withdrew from a scheduled series against Pakistan after landing there, citing a security threat which, according to the host country, did not exist. The pullout had hampered Pakistan’s World Cup preparations which took a further hit with England too withdrawing from the tour.
Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammed Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammed Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Hasan Ali, Harris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohamed Nawaz, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammed Wasim, Sohaib Maqsood
New Zealand Squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have had three 150+ stands in 2021 alone
Pakistan have won each of their last 12 matches in UAE starting from 2016
Guptill averages only 19.53 in his 41 innings in Asia. His strike-rate in the region also sits low at 119.2
'I think Pakistan have come to the T20 World Cup full of confidence, having played in these conditions more than most. They certainly put it on show last night and showed why they're one of the favourites in the competition,' Kane Williamson said.
Pakistan Probable XI: Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
New Zealand Probable XI: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert(wk), Kane Williamson(c), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Daryl Mitchell/Todd Astle, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
Pakistan 14 - 10 New Zealand. Kane Williamson's side has lost six of the seven T20Is they have played against Pakistan in the UAE. The last time these two sides met, Mohammad Rizwan's 59-ball 89 set up a Pakistan victory in a dead rubber in Napier but it didn't come without a few bated breaths and a stutter.
Hello and welcome to the live commentary of the T20 World Cup Super 12 match between Pakistan and New Zealand. Last month, New Zealand had pulled out of the Pak tour which threatened to offset decades worth of efforts by Pakistan, who have been trying hard to sell themselves as cricket's safe place again. So, this match has a lot of pride at stake for Pakistan cricketers. After their win over India, Pakistan are a lot more confident. Opening the campaign against them will be a tough grind for New Zealand; and to beat them at venues which hit closer than home perhaps even tougher.