Pakistan vs New Zealand 2021: Pakistan announced 12-Member Squad for 1st ODI Rawalpindi…… By; Asghar Ali Mubarak

Pakistan vs New Zealand 2021: Pakistan announced 12-Member Squad for 1st ODI Rawalpindi
By; Asghar Ali Mubarak
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 12-member squad for the first ODI match against New Zealand. PCB issued a press release that mentioned Babar Azam as the team’s captain and Shadab Khan as his deputy. Peshawar batsman Iftikhar Ahmed and leg-spinner Usman Qadir are the latest entrants in the team that appeared against England in July. 33-year-old leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood could be given his ODI debut after playing only one T20I against South Africa this year. Qadir made his ODI debut for Pakistan against South Africa in April this year and played only one match. He picked the wicket of Jon Jon Smuts in his spell of 1/48 from nine overs. Pakistan were thrashed 3-0 by a second-string England team which was led by all-rounder Ben Stokes. Babar Azam and his men faced criticism for their lack of intent in the ODI series. Pakistan will also face New Zealand in Group 2 of the ICC T20I World Cup 2021 in November, so this will be a preparation for both teams. However, New Zealand have sent a second-string squad led by Tom Latham with the senior players are preparing for their respective IPL franchises.
New Zealand are coming from a 2-3 T20I series loss against Bangladesh and will aim to improve their performance against Pakistan. New Zealand will be playing an ODI match after a gap of six months. The Black Caps last played Bangladesh in the 50-over format in March. Pakistan’s 12-member squad for 1st ODI against New Zealand: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakil, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood. The second and third ODIs will be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on 19 and 21 September, respectively while Gaddafi Stadium will host the T20Is from 25 September to 3 October. A bomb blast outside the New Zealand team’s hotel in Karachi in 2002 had cut short the Black Caps’ last Test tour of Pakistan, but they visited again for an ODI series the following year. Since the 2003 ODI series, Pakistan have thrice hosted New Zealand for ODIs in the United Arab Emirates with the Black Caps winning the 2019-10 and 2014-15 series and drawing the 2018-19 rubber. New Zealand’s tour to Pakistan was cut short in 2002 after a bomb explosion outside the team’s hotel in Karachi. The Kiwis played a one-day series in 2003, but there have been no tours to Pakistan since. New Zealand team is here for three ODIs and five T20Is on their first visit to Pakistan after 18 years.
Schedule:
Sept 17 – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
Sept 19 – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
Sept 21 – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi
Sept 25 – 1st T20I, Lahore
Sept 26 – 2nd T20I, Lahore
Sept 29 – 3rd T20I, Lahore
Oct 01 – 4th T20I, Lahore
Oct 03 – 5th T20I, Lahore