New Zealand eye a clean sweep, while Pakistan strive to avoid a series whitewash and make a statement on the Hagley Oval
HAMILTON: New Zealand opener Finn Allen plays a shot while being watched by Pakistan wicket-keeper Azam Khan during the second Twenty20 International at Seddon Park on Sunday. —AFP
- Hagley Oval set to witness clash between New Zealand and Pakistan.
- Green Shirts will hit ground with one change to the team.
- Azam has amassed an impressive 181 runs in the series.
The Hagley Oval in Christchurch is set to witness the clash between New Zealand and Pakistan in the fourth T20I of their five-match series today.
The match will begin at 11:10am today. Green Shirts will hit the ground with one change to the team as Azam Khan has been replaced by Sahibzada Farhan. While the Kiwis are playing with an unchanged playing eleven.
New Zealand, having already secured an unassailable lead by clinching victories in the first three encounters, now aim for a potential series whitewash. The hosts, buoyed by Finn Allen’s explosive batting excellence, are determined to maintain their stellar performance. Allen, who played a pivotal role in the team’s previous success with a remarkable century, leads the run-scoring charts in the series with a total of 245 runs.
Pakistan find itself in a challenging position, having suffered consecutive defeats in the initial three matches. The visitors are set to battle for pride in the fourth T20I, with former captain Babar Azam emerging as a consistent performer.
Despite the team’s struggles, Azam has amassed an impressive 181 runs in the series as he hit half-centuries in all three games.
The third T20I saw New Zealand set a dominating total of 224/7, with Allen’s exceptional 137-run knock playing a pivotal role. In response, Babar Azam contributed 58 runs, but Pakistan could only manage 179/7 in 20 overs, resulting in a 45-run loss.
Tim Southee led the bowling attack with two wickets, while Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, and Ish Sodhi secured one wicket each.
As the teams gear up for the crucial fourth T20I, the Hagley Oval pitch is expected to favour pacers in the early stages, allowing them to capitalise on the swing during the initial overs. However, as the ball undergoes wear and tear, batters are anticipated to have the upper hand against fast bowlers. Spinners also have an opportunity to make an impact if they can accurately find the optimal length.
The weather forecast suggests overcast conditions, but without expectations of rain interruptions, ensuring an undisrupted and thoroughly engaging match. The temperature is expected to hover around 28 degrees Celsius, with a breeze of 29 km/hr and a humidity level of 48%.
Squads:
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Tim Seifert, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson
Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Zaman Khan
