Hagley Oval in Christchurch hosts the last two T20Is of PAK vs NZ. New Zealand already won the series by winning the first three games. They won the first T20I by 46 runs, the second by 21 runs and the third by 45 runs. The hosts now aim for a clean sweep.
The Black Caps posted a formidable total of 224/7 in 20 overs in Dunedin on Wednesday, January 17. Finn Allen scored 137 runs off 62 deliveries, including five boundaries and 16 sixes. In response, the New Zealand bowlers restricted the opposition to a score of 179/7. Finn Allen smashed a staggering 16 sixes, equaling the world record set by Afghan batsman Hazratullah Zazai against Ireland in 2019.
Allen took the Pakistani bowlers to the cleaners. While everyone got wickets, they were quite expensive. Everything the Pakistan bowlers threw at the New Zealand batsmen was easy to score. The absence of a specialist spinner like Shadab Khan proved costly. Usama Mir also failed to make an impression in the series.
Also Read: Watch: West Indies’ brilliant tactic to dismiss Mitchell Marsh in Adelaide
New Zealand will miss out on the services of Kane Williamson as he has been ruled out with a hamstring injury for the last three matches. Mitchell Santner will lead the team in the remaining three games. Lockie Ferguson returned to the team after recovering from an Achilles injury and took 1/27. Will Young remain in the team with Williamson ruled out?
Tim Seifert will replace Williamson in the XI for the last three T20Is of PAK vs NZ. Devon Conway, who was retained in the first two matches, will now play as a specialist batsman. Trent Boult and Jimmy Neesham are not part of the squad due to domestic T20 commitments. Kyle Jamieson will continue to miss, currently rehabbing a hamstring injury, while Michael Bracewell is still recovering from an Achilles injury.
From 2022, Pakistan they have not won a single T20I series, having lost to Australia, England and even Afghanistan. Now they are also struggling in the ongoing series against New Zealand. Babar Azam stepped down as Pakistan’s captain in all formats after the World Cup.
Pakistan’s performance in the tournament was reviewed by the PCB and then it decided to change the entire administrative and coaching setup. This series defeat now adds extra pressure to the newly appointed captain. He needs to lead from the front with the ball to help the team come back in the series.
PAK vs NZ Live Weather Report Today & Christchurch Stadium Pitch Report – 4th T20I, 2024
The PAK vs NZ fourth T20I starts at 11:40 am IST which is 7:10 pm local time. The match is a night game. Considering how the first three games played out, it is also expected to be a high-scoring contest, especially with the New Zealand batsmen in great form. So far 11 T20Is have been played at this venue with five matches won by the team that batted first and six by the chasing team.
Speaking of weather conditions, it will be cloudy, breezy and warm according to Accuweather. Humidity will be around 53 percent and there will be a slight chance of rain. In the afternoon the temperature will be around 23 degrees.
Also Read: ‘It’s only been a few months…’ – Rahul Dravid delivers explosive verdict on Rinku Singh’s place for T20 World Cup 2024
