KARACHI, Mar 15 (Agencies): Pakistan are all set to take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series starting Sunday, the country's cricket board said in a statement, with the first game to be played at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The Pakistan squad arrived in New Zealand on Thursday and held their first training session on Friday afternoon. Before their arrival, the T20I squad underwent a pre-series camp from March 7 to 10 in Lahore.
Pakistan's squad includes three uncapped players - Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Ali - who earned call-ups to the national side following their impressive performances in recent domestic events.
Skipper Salman Ali Agha, who led the team to a 2-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe in his first series as captain, expressed satisfaction with the players' performance ahead of the series.
"The team's preparations are going well, and we will try to produce better results in New Zealand," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) quoted him as saying in a statement. "We have some young players in the side, and it is an opportunity for them to showcase their talent at the international level after performing well in domestic cricket."
His remarks come after the Black Caps trampled the Green Shirts in back-to-back tournaments, including the Tri-Nation Series and the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy - both times on home soil.
He acknowledged the importance of spinners despite the green pitch and provided updates on injured players Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub.
'The pitch looks green, but spinners will also get some assistance. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have performed well in T20 cricket, and we will miss Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, who are key players. Thankfully, they are recovering quickly and should be back in action for the upcoming series," he said.
Additionally, he discussed the ongoing transition phase in Pakistan cricket, stressing the necessity of developing new combinations after years of dependence on stalwarts Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
"Babar Azam and Rizwan have contributed a lot to Pakistan cricket, and now we are working on building a new combination. The playing XI has not been finalized yet, but we are confident in our squad and focused on delivering strong performances," he added.
It is pertinent to mention that the white-ball series between the Men in Green and the Blackcaps consists of five T20Is, followed by three One Day Internationals (ODIs), running until April 5.
The series also marks the debut of young talents Abdul Samad and Hassan Nawaz, who have earned their maiden call-ups to the national team.
The last T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand took place in April 2024, when the Blackcaps toured Pakistan. The five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw after the first game in Rawalpindi was washed out due to rain.
Pakistan have an upper hand over New Zealand in the 44 T20I contests between the two sides, with 23 wins, while the Black Caps have secured victory in 19 fixtures.
The last T20I series featuring the two sides, played in Pakistan in 2024, ended in a 2-2 draw, with one match abandoned due to rain.
More recently, though, Pakistan's cricket squad has come under significant criticism for their performance following their early exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy after losses to New Zealand and India.
During their tour to New Zealand, Pakistan will play their second match at University Oval in Dunedin on March 18, while the third match of the series will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on March 21.
The fourth and fifth T20Is will be played at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and Sky Stadium in Wellington on March 23 and 26, respectively.
A three-match ODI series will follow the T20I action and will be played from March 29 to April 5.
