ISLAMABAD: The New Zealand men’s cricket team arrived in Islamabad on Sunday ahead of their five-match T20I series against Pakistan which will kick off on April 18.
The hosts, led by Michael Bracewell, will go up against the Men in Green in a five-match series of which three will be played in Rawalpindi, while the rest of the two games will be played in Lahore with the series ending on April 27.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the match officials for the upcoming series. The panel led by Andy Pycroft, a member of the Emirates International Cricket Council (ICC) elite panel of match referees, includes Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz.
On 9 April, the board announced a 17-member squad led by Babar Azam for the T20I series with fast bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim returning to the national team.
For the five-match series, former fast bowler Azhar Mahmood has been named as the head coach. Meanwhile, Wahab Riaz has been named senior team manager, with Mohammad Yousuf as batting coach. Saeed Ajmal, who was the bowling coach on the last tours of Australia and New Zealand, will continue as the spin bowling coach.
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir.
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Zack Fowlkes, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
Match fixtures
18 April – 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
20 April – 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
21 April – 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
25 April – 4th T20I, Lahore
27 April – 5th T20I, Lahore
