Babar Azam is back as Pakistan’s captain in the five-match T20 series against New Zealand starting on Thursday with the World Cup weeks away.
Azam regained the captaincy last month in a shock U-turn that ended Shaheen Afridi’s short-lived reign, raising fears of a rift among the players.
The hosts hope that spending time together at a fitness camp on an army base will be good for bonding.
Head coach Azhar Mahmood said on Tuesday that the T20 World Cup to be held in the United States and West Indies in June is very much on his mind.
I have full faith in the team selected and the morale in the team is very high, so we will overcome all the flaws to give our best in the World Cup,” he said. AFP.
“You can’t take any team for granted in the T20 format and if New Zealand lose their key players then their youngsters have a chance.”
Pakistan experienced a major upheaval after failing to reach the knockout stages of the ODI World Cup last year.
Azam stepped down from the captaincy in all three formats and head coach Mickey Arthur left Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf.
The country’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi took over the board’s top post and reorganized the selection committee, paving the way for batsman Azam’s return.
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and spinning all-rounder Imad Wasim will also return to international cricket in this series after retirement.
Young New Zealand
With Kane Williamson playing in the IPL, Michael Bracewell will take charge of New Zealand. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL/The Hindu
With Kane Williamson playing in the IPL, Michael Bracewell will take charge of New Zealand. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL/The Hindu
New Zealand, which sent a security team last month, arrived in the country over the weekend.
In 2021 the Black Caps pulled out of a tour of Pakistan at the 11th hour due to security fears, but returned twice in 2023.
New Zealand have lost nine of their top players, including captain Kane Williamson, due to the Indian Premier League. Stand-in captain Michael Bracewell says it’s an opportunity for younger players to step up.
“I think the group of young players have grown up and played a lot of T20 cricket,” said Bracewell, who is back after a year-long injury lay-off.
“They have new ideas about how to play the game and as a group we try to play our game.”
Tim Southee, the world’s leading paceman with 157 scalps in T20Is, is rested. The veteran duo of Adam Milne and Finn Allen were injured a day before the team’s departure.
All-rounder Zach Foulkes, hard-hitting batsman Tim Robinson and seamer Will O’Rourke have been uncapped in T20s.
The first three matches of the series were played in Rawalpindi, while the last two matches were hosted by Lahore.