New Zealand cricket board announced earlier this year that their team will be touring Pakistan in September. The tour was finalized last month when their security team visited Pakistan to make sure the security is satisfactory.
The two sides will play three One Day Internationals and five Twenty-20 Internationals. The ODI’s will be played in Rawalpindi cricket stadium, where’s Gaddafi Stadium Lahore will host the five T20 Internationals.
The Blackcaps will be touring Pakistan after 18 long years. In 2002, there was a bomb blast outside the hotel where the Blackcaps were staying. However, they visited again in 2003. That was the last time New Zealand visited Pakistan.
After the deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009, Pakistan moved all their home series to the UAE due to security reasons.
In 2015, Zimbabwe visited Pakistan and became the first international team to tour Pakistan after the 2009 attack. After Zimbabwe, international tours started again and cricket came back to Pakistan. Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies toured Pakistan as well. Last but not least, Pakistan Super League eventually came to Pakistan as well.
The last time blackcaps toured Pakistan, they played five ODI’s with Pakistan winning the series 5-0. Yasir Hameed scored the most runs whereas Muhammad Sami took the most wickets.
Blackcaps arrived on 12 September. They Quarantined and will play their first match on 17 September in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Cricket fans all around the world missed most of the action in stadiums over the last one year due to Covid-19 restrictions. The good news for the fans is that during this tour, stadiums will be allowed 45 percent occupancy.
T20 World Cup Prep
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has on-screened the Pakistan T20 World Cup squad as the mega-event is set to begin in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman stadiums from 17 October.
The PCB management has drawn flak from all quarters for selecting ‘unjustified’ and ‘poor’ World Cup squad, leaving out several anticipated star players. The names of Asif Ali, Azam Khan, and Khushdil Shah have shocked everyone making it to the big event despite dull performances latterly.
Fans are surprised to see the unexpected inclusions and exclusions as multiple veterans they expected to don jerseys ahead of the World Cup have been dropped.
Shoaib Malik, the most anticipated candidate, has not been considered. Also, Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was set to be named as ‘the second-choice wicket-keeping batter’ has been dropped. In his place, the board has named an inexperienced Azam Khan.
Also out is the veteran bowling duo of Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir. On the other hand, to tackle middle-order woes, the board has brought back Khushdil Shah and Asif Ali.
The fifteen-member crew includes five batsmen, two wicket-keeping batsmen, four all-rounders, and four fast bowlers. Fakhar Zaman, Usman Qadir, and Shahnawaz Dahani have been named among the reserves.
Of the 19 players who were part of the Pakistan squad for the T20I series in England and the West Indies, Arshad Iqbal, Faheem Ashraf, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sharjeel Khan have been left out.
Notably, the same side will feature in the upcoming home series against New Zealand and England respectively just before the T20 World Cup 2021.
There’s more drama in Pakistan cricket team as well. Pakistan’s bowling coach, Waqar Younis, and head coach, Misbah ul Haq have stepped down from their respective roles. The shocking piece of news went viral straight after the T20 World Cup squad announcement for the men in green.
There was some speculation the duo have been sacked but there was no official confirmation. However, it is a big blow to say goodbye to these coaches just a few months before the big event. As team Pakistan is already without their batting coach, Younis Khan, people believe the crew will barely survive the tournament.
Misbah, who tested positive for Covid-19, was quarantined in Jamaica for the mandatory 14 days. After his return to Pakistan, his participation in the upcoming New Zealand series was already in jeopardy but he himself seems to have shied away from the responsibility. This leaves Pakistan without the batting, bowling, and head coach.
For the home series versus New Zealand, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to induce Abdul Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq as interim coaches. However, there is no say if they will continue until the World Cup.
