Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshbandi/Shahid Qureshi
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan and New Zealand cricket teams held a practice session at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday ahead of the five-match T20I series scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Players from both sides actively participated in the practice session, intensifying their preparations for the highly anticipated series. The New Zealand team arrived in Islamabad on Sunday, gearing up to face Pakistan in the series set to commence on April 18 (Thursday).
The initial three matches of the series are scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi, while the final two matches are slated for April 25 and 27 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Pakistan pacer and former captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, is expected to miss the first two T20I matches against New Zealand. Local media reported that Shaheen Afridi is keen on regaining his bowling rhythm. In a bid to avoid any potential risk ahead of the upcoming World Cup, Shaheen Afridi has opted to sit out the initial matches of the series.
However, Shaheen Afridi is expected to rejoin the team for the final three matches, bolstering Pakistan’s bowling lineup for the latter part of the series.
