Pakistan Begins ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Preparations with Series Against New Zealand

Pakistan is set to kick off its preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with a five-match series against New Zealand, starting Thursday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The series, which follows two previous encounters between the two sides within the past year, promises to be an intense showdown as both teams fine-tune their strategies for the upcoming mega-event.

The series will commence at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with matches scheduled for Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The action will then shift to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for the final two matches next week on Thursday and Saturday.

Pakistan has introduced three uncapped players – Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan – into the 17-player squad, marking their inclusion alongside the return of seasoned campaigners like Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, and Imad Wasim. Fast bowler Naseem Shah also makes a comeback after recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined him from previous tours and tournaments.

In a significant development, former Test all-rounder Azhar Mahmood assumes the role of head coach for the Pakistan men’s team for the first time in his career. Mahmood, who previously served as the national side’s bowling coach from 2016-2019, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role.

Commenting on the series, Babar Azam, the captain of the Pakistan team, emphasized its importance in their T20 World Cup preparations. He expressed excitement about the blend of youth and experience in the squad and anticipated a challenging contest against New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Michael Bracewell, the captain of the New Zealand squad, expressed pride in leading his team on the tour and highlighted their readiness to play entertaining cricket and pose challenges to Pakistan in their home conditions.

The series opener is scheduled to begin with the toss at 7 pm local time, followed by the first ball at 7:30 pm local time.

Squads:

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohmmad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan

New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (captain), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Zak Foulkes.