Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ready to host Pakistan, New Zealand T20 matches from April 18

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ready to host Pakistan, New Zealand T20 matches from April 18.(Report; Asghar Ali Mubarak)

The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is all set to host three T20 matches between Pakistan and New Zealand from April 18. New Zealand cricket team will arrive in Pakistan today.

The T20 series matches will be played in Rawalpindi on April 18, 20 and 21 and in Lahore on April 25 and 27.
All matches will start at 7:30 PM

The Pakistani team will be led by batsman Babar Azam, while due to the absence of key players from New Zealand, all-rounder Michael Bracewell will lead the New Zealand team for the first time for the T20 series against Pakistan.

9 key players including K Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner will be unavailable for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and one player will be playing for the county.

The squad includes experienced and new talent, including 7 players. Already been a part of the T20 World Cup squad. Tim Robinson and Will Orarke have been included in the Kiwi squad for the tour of Pakistan for the first time.

It should be remembered that New Zealand won 1-4 in the 5-match T20 series against Pakistan in January 2024.
Additionally, two of New Zealand’s key players, Allen and Adams,

have been ruled out of the T20I series against Pakistan and have been replaced by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and all-rounder Zac Foulkes. Finn Allen and Adam Milne were injured during training.

It should be noted that Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Rizwan are in the Pakistan squad for the series of 5 T20 matches. ,

Muhammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saeem Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan, Osama Merreserve Category: Haseebullah,

Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha while New Zealand Cricket Team I include Michael Bracewell, Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dan Foxcroft, Ben Lister,

Cole McConaughey, Zach Foulkes, Jimmy Neesham, Will Overke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ash Sodhi. ,
In addition, the Champions Trophy will also be a tri-nation series in Pakistan before 2025. South Africa and New Zealand have given the green signal for the tri-nation series.

After the Champions Trophy 2025, talks are going on between Pakistan and New Zealand to hold a series of three ODIs and three T20 matches in New Zealand next year. The series will include three ODIs and three T20Is.