ISLAMABAD: After facing four consecutive losses, the Shaheen-led Pakistan side is eyeing to mark its first win against New Zealand in the 5th and final T20 encounter to be played on Sunday, where the visiting team required a must-win to avoid the Whitewash.
New Zealand won the 3rd T20 by 45 runs to win the series, and last Friday registered a stunning victory by seven wickets against Pakistan in the 4th T20 to make it 4-0 out of the 5-match series.
New Zealand Side
The Black Caps would come to the ground in the absence of Kane Williamson due to his injury, and the home side is expected to rest the inform batter and impact player of the last game, Daryl Mitchel, to manage his workload while inducting Rachin Ravindra. Meanwhile, the side would also miss Devon Conway, who was ruled out of the 4th T20 due to Covid symptoms.
However, despite missing all these players, the black caps still remain a threat for Pakistan, particularly the aggressive opener Finn Allen, who mostly dominated Pakistani pacers from the very start. He also smashed a brilliant hundred of 137 in the 3rd match with a brilliant performance in the first 2 and took the games away from the visiting side.
Problem with Pakistan Side
Despite having a number of match winners and T20 specialists, the Pakistani side is still waiting to click. The first major reason is the new leader. As the team is still unable to have a suitable combination under the leadership of Shaheen after Babar Azam recently stepped down as skipper of the side. Again, the team still had individual performances, but they lacked the collective approach. It is the reason the side collapses either in the middle or end of the game.
Must Win Game for Pakistan
Despite a lot of criticism against the new skipper, Shaheen Afridi, the team seems motivated, but they just need to be in a collective rhythm, and even a single win could boost their morale. One of the good news is the form of batting maestro Babar Azam who knocked three half-centuries in the first three matches. Fakhar Zaman also seems in good touch, however he needs to stay on the crease. Above all, Pakistani pacers are conceding more runs. If they manage to bowl according to the condition and plan, Pakistan could easily come back on track.
