PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I: A Do-or-Die match for Pakistan coming up next as the home side New Zealand have made their grip tight in the series after two straight victories. Bowling and middle-order batting have been an issue for the visitors as they failed to go past 180 in the chase in the two matches. Here we are with the possible 2 changes Pakistan might make for the PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I.
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Pakistan again won the toss and opted to bowl first like they did in the first T20I. This time, they couldn’t get the early breakthrough and New Zealand smacked 59 runs in the first 5 overs when Aamer Jamal found the top edge of Conway. Finn Allen just spit fire off his bat and smoked 74 off 41 in the middle and Kane got retired hurt when he was playing at 26(15).
Abbas Afridi has been really impressive in his last two outings. He is developing as a partnership breaker in the middle overs for Pakistan. He dismissed Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman in his two consecutive (the last ball of his 3rd over and 1st ball of his 4th over). His and Haris Rauf’s quickies took the pace out of the Kiwis’ innings but couldn’t stop them behind 194. Again, all except Shaheen were expensive. Shaheen went for 7.50 runs per over and the rest of the bowlers were over 9.50 runs per over.
In the chase, Saim Ayub, who was a surprise for the Kiwis in the last game, didn’t do much in the second. He was out in the first over and soon his opening partner Mohammad Rizwan also joined him in the dressing room after 4 balls. Babar and Fakhar then combined to add an 87-run partnership. Fakhar got an early life when he was dropped at 7 but then he took the Blackcaps by storm and smashed 50 runs off 25 balls.
Ben Sears got Iftikhar, Ish Sodhi dismissed Azam Khan and Aamer Jamal for cheap and Sears again got the top edge of Babar Azam and Pakistan were, all of sudden, 153 for 7 down. The new skipper of Pakistan flexed his batting skills but couldn’t hold onto it as Southee got him at the mid-wicket.
The asking rate was too high then and Abbas Afridi and Usama Mir didn’t have many options but to swing the bat. All New Zealand needed was two wickets and they got them 19th and 20th over and won the match by 21 runs.
Down below are the 2 changes Pakistan might make for the PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I:
PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I: 2 Changes Pakistan might make
Mohammad Nawaz IN for Usama Mir?
Usama Mir is looking off-color in the series. Although the conditions aren’t aiding spinners, he is going for around 10 runs an over whereas Ish Sodhi is also a right-arm leg spinner and he is going for 8 runs an over. Nawaz comes with his experience and quality left arm off-break. He could also help with the bat down the order and overall he could be a handy pick for the 3rd T20I.
Fakhar to come earlier?
What an innings Fakhar Zaman played in the 2nd T20I where he got an opportunity to bat with a new ball. He is a batter who has done some majestic work when he opens the innings and Rizwan is the one who can bat at number 4 with ease.
If Mohammad Rizwan plays at 4, then he can keep the wickets as well and he has really quick hands behind the wickets. Any team would fear an opening combination of Ayub and Zaman and the Pakistani think tank might consider this duo for the PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I.
PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I: Probable XIs
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan(WK), Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi (c), Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee(c), Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears
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