Pakistan’s T20I Squad Begins Training in New Zealand Ahead of Series
Pakistan’s T20I squad kicked off their preparations at Hagley Oval on Friday, gearing up for a five-match series against New Zealand.
The players engaged in intense net sessions and fielding drills under the supervision of the coaching staff. This series marks Pakistan’s first international assignment following their underwhelming performance in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, where they finished at the bottom of Group A without securing a single victory.
The team, led by newly-appointed captain Salman Ali Agha, arrived in New Zealand on Thursday and took a day to rest before diving into training. Another practice session was planned for Saturday at 1 PM local time at the same venue.
Speaking to the media earlier, Salman expressed confidence in the team’s ability to succeed in the T20I series, emphasizing the potential of the young players.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared clips of the training session on its official social media accounts, showcasing the players’ preparations ahead of Sunday’s opening match.
The T20I series is set to begin on March 16, with the second and third matches scheduled for March 18 and 21. The final two games will take place in Mount Maunganui and Wellington on March 23 and 26, respectively.
Pakistan’s squad includes Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, and Usman Khan.
New Zealand, captained by Michael Bracewell, will field a squad comprising Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell Hay, Matt Henry (for games 4 & 5), Kyle Jamieson (for games 1, 2 & 3), Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, and Ish Sodhi.
The series promises to be an exciting contest as both teams look to fine-tune their strategies and build momentum ahead of future international commitments.
