Live Cricket Score: Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st T20

Live Cricket Score: Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st T20

ABU DHABI - Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bat first vs New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International at Abu Dhabi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. 

After thrashing Australia 3-0 in the recently concluded Twenty20 International series, Pakistan will look to continue their domination in the format when they play New Zealand in the opening match of the three-match series here on Wednesday (today).

The match will be covered live here.

Pakistan seem to have mastered the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket under Sarfraz Ahmed, who has captained them to 26 wins in 30 matches. They are top of the ICC T20I Team Rankings and will be chasing their 11th successive series win.

ICC Preview: New Zealand will be without Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner, but even in their absence, they will look to exploit Pakistan’s perceived batting weakness, with Ish Sodhi, the leg-spinner, being joined by the uncapped Ajaz Patel, the left-arm spinner, along with the pacemen – Tim Southee, Adam Milne and Corey Anderson, who impressed in New Zealand A’s clashes against Pakistan A. With the bat, New Zealand will be without the big presence of Martin Guptill – he has a calf injury – but Glenn Phillips, the wicket-keeper batsman, has been added to the side, and will hope to use his big-hitting abilities to good affect, alongside Colin Munro, who said he was relishing being back with New Zealand again. Despite that, it'll be a tough series for New Zealand, especially given they haven’t played an international match since April in England. But Pakistan’s have their chinks. This should be a fine series.

The hosts were head and shoulders above Australia in their three matches and kept them to scores below 140 each time.Leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who claimed six wickets against Australia, can be a handful for New Zealand.

Imad Wasim is usually a fine support act, and given that newbie paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi has adapted well, New Zealand batsmen are expected to face a tough challenge.Pakistan have stuck with the same squad that whitewashed Australia. While they may juggle between Usman Khan and Shaheen for the role of the second seamer, there are not many changes expected. Opener Fakhar Zaman remains out with knee pain.

New Zealand will be without Trent Boult (paternity leave) and Mitchell Santner (knee injury), but even in their absence, they will look to exploit Pakistan’s perceived batting weakness with leg-spinner Ish Sodhi being joined by the uncapped left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, along with pacemen Tim Southee, Adam Milne and Corey Anderson.

With the bat, New Zealand will be without the big presence of Martin Guptill who has a calf injury. But Glenn Phillips, the wicket-keeper batsman, has been added to the side and will hope to use his big-hitting abilities to good effect, alongside Colin Munro, who is relishing being back with New Zealand again.

New Zealand have not played an international match since April in England.The forecast is partly cloudy. With the games being held at night, dew is also expected to play a role.