New faces Abbas, Haseebullah, Usama, and Farhan bolster T20I squad.
For the first time, Shaheen Shah Afridi will be captain of the Pakistan T20I squad. Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC T20I World Cup 2024, which is slated to take place in June 2024, officially begin with this series.
Wahab Riaz, directing the national men’s selection committee, assembled the 17-member team for Pakistan’s T20 International Tour of New Zealand.
Five matches in Auckland, Hamilton, Dunedin, and Christchurch from January 12 to January 21, 2024, constitute the tour.
Following their Test tour of Australia, Pakistan will tour New Zealand, with the final match taking place in Sydney from January 3–7, 2024. On January 3, 2024, the team will leave Lahore for New Zealand, and on January 8, 2024, players who are currently in Australia for the Test series will join them.
Peshawar’s Muhammad Abbas Afridi was one of the National T20 Cup’s leading wicket-takers. The 23-year-old won nine of the tournament’s matches and took home 14 scalps at an average of 16.43.
He finished as the Pakistan Cup’s joint-highest wicket-taker earlier in the domestic season, amassing 15 scalps at an average of 15 from seven games.
Additionally, he was selected the HBL PSL 8 rising player. Abbas finished as the tournament’s top wicket-taker, taking 23 wickets at an average of 16.17 while playing for the Multan Sultans.
Usama Mir, a leg-spinner, has made his debut for Pakistan in ODIs this year and has played in 12 T20I matches. This is his first T20I call-up.
Full schedule:
1st T20 – 12 January 2024 at Eden Park, Auckland
2nd T20 – 14 January 2024 at Seddon Park, Hamilton
3rd T20 – 17 January 2024 at University Oval, Dunedin
4th T20 – 19 January 2024 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
5th T20 – 21 January 2024 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
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