New Zealand tour of Pakistan, 2023

PAK vs NZ, 4th T20I

Preview

There is a sigh of relief for the New Zealand cricket team as they won the third game against the fiery Pakistan side, this means they are still in the race for the series title as the game stands 1-2. The home side will be off for another encounter with the Kiwis in the 4th game of the five-match T20I series. The match will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on April 20 at 9:30 PM. 

The fourth match will be the most interesting one as the Blackcaps are still in fear of slipping out of the series title. This is a do-or-die match for them because winning this match means they will be in a 2-2 tie with the home side and losing will ensure Pakistan sealing the series 3-1. 

In the last game, New Zealand won by a narrow margin of just 4 runs. The Kiwis padded up first and posted  163 runs at a loss of 5 wickets in the 20-over limit. Opener Tom Latham scored a magnificent 64 off 49 balls which was the highest from the side. Also, Daryll Mitchell’s 33 in 26 balls was the only significant effort by a middle-order batsman. The opponent side’s bowling attack was tight and ensured no extra spillage of runs. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf picked two wickets each and Shadab Khan took one to keep the scoreboard under check.

Pakistan’s batting side was more dependent on the openers as we know. As soon as Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam’s wicket fell under 4 overs, it looked like the floodgates opened for the Kiwi bowlers. Notable mentions were, James Nisham with three wickets under his belt along with Rachin Ravindra and Adam Milne picking two wickets apiece. Matt Henry and Ish Sodhi also picked one wicket each to uproot the whole team in exactly 20 overs. The last over was no less than a nail-biting thriller as the home side needed 14 runs to win the match. James Neesham was hit for a six and a four off the first and third ball of the over just before he marched back to pick two wickets in the fourth and final ball to finish off the match with a 4-run victory over the Men in Green. 

Match Details

Match: PAK vs NZ, 4th T20I, New Zealand tour of Pakistan, 2023

Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023

Time: 9:30 PM 

Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Pitch and Weather Report

With a speedy outfield and plenty of even bounce, this is an ideal ground for batting since the ball will land precisely at the bat. The spin bowlers might, however, experience an unusual turn.

The weather will generally be cloudy during the match with high chances of rain. The temperature will be around 17℃ outside. While there are chances of rain interrupting the game, the humidity will also peak at about 80%.

PAK vs NZ Squads

PAK: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Imad Wasim, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shan Masood, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Haris, Ihsanullah

NZ: Tom Latham(wk/c), Chad Bowes, Will Young, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, Henry Shipley, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Blair Tickner, Dane Cleaver, Ish Sodhi, Adam Milne.

PAK vs NZ Probable Playing XIs

PAK: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah

NZ: Tom Latham (c & wk), Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ben Lister

Match Prediction

The 4th match between PAK and NZ will be one of the most fascinating battles to watch for. The home side is in search of just a single win to seal the series. On the other side, New Zealand will be in a ferocious try to level the series and make the final game the trophy decider. Both sides will give their best, it was the Kiwis' luck that made them win the 3rd T20I but not every time things like this will happen in the final over of the game. We predict the home side to win this match, as we can analyse they are a better side when it comes to their team’s performance as a whole. 

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