PAK vs NZ 5th T20I: Pakistan Men’s National Cricket Team’s five match T20i series against New Zealand is heading to its final game and the hosts will be looking to end the series on a positive note at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
The Men in Green’s hopes of winning the series were crushed following their second defeat against the Kiwis in the series, leaving them with just one opportunity to level the series in the fifth and the final game.
Pakistan’s playing 11 for the fifth and the final T20i is going to feature skipper Babar Azam and Saim Ayub as both of them will be opening the innings for the Shaheens. Usman Khan will complete the top order and will also be donning the wicket keeping gloves.
The middle order will consist of the likes of Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan and all three players will have to play key roles for the home team if they want to level the series against the Kiwis.
Imad Wasim should retain his place in the team without any doubts and will be looking to bounce back from the previous game’s narrow defeat.
The Babar Azam led team are anticipated to make a single change for the final match as seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is likely to return to the playing 11 in place of Zaman Khan. The return of Shaheen will provide a lot of boost to the Pakistani bowling unit. Abbas Afridi and Mohammad Amir are likely to play the role of the support fast bowlers for the final game.
Usama Mir was quite expensive in the last game but is anticipated to retain his place in the playing as he will be given another chance to prove himself before the selection of the World Cup squad.
In the fourth T20i, the Babar Azam led team came close to chasing the target of 179 runs but fell short by four runs. Imad Wasim’s knock of 22 runs in 11 balls went in vein as he failed to guide the Shaheens to victory as Pakistan managed to score 174 runs in their inning.
With the fifth T20i being the final opportunity for the home side to level the series, Pakistan will be looking to give their best performance in the final T20i and end the series on a good note.
Pakistan’s playing 11 (expected) against Blackcaps in 5th T20I:
Babr Azam (Captain), Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Usama Mir and Abbas Afridi.
READ: Pakistan’s Squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup predicted by Waqar Younis
