First Twenty20 between Pakistan and New Zealand today

 Pakistan will face New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International of the three-match series today (Friday) at the Eden Park in Auckland. The match will start at 11:00am PST.

The 23-year-old is expected to be named in the starting lineup for the tour-opening Twenty20 when Pakistan will pit their hostile bowling attack against a New Zealand unit brimming with form batsmen.

Conditions in New Zealand usually facilitate swing and movement, and Amir will bolster a Pakistan pace attack already brimming with big names. The prominent duo of Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz apart, Pakistan’s squad also contains the likes of Anwar Ali and Aamer Yamin. The New Zealand batsmen were on a record-breaking spree against Sri Lanka, but Pakistan’s pace stock might prove harder to dismantle.

Despite its significant bowling presence, Pakistan is wary of the challenge posed by New Zealand. The home side swept Sri Lanka in a two-match T20I series 2-0, after winning the five-match One-Day International series 3-1 and the Tests 2-0. Perhaps more daunting was the manner of New Zealand’s victories: In just the final T20I in Auckland, Martin Guptill set the New Zealand record for the fastest T20I half-century off 19 balls, only for Colin Munro to shatter that 20 minutes later, getting to the mark in 14.

Ahmed Shehzad, the opening batsman, believed that despite Pakistan’s considerable bowling strength, the New Zealand batsman would hold the upper hand. “No doubt, they are playing wonderful cricket at the moment,” he said. “We are all aware of the style that they are playing is awesome to see actually, but we have to match them, and the boys are very prepared and ready to put up a good show.”

“They are playing without any fear and they have no issues with their places,” Ahmed Shehzad said.

But Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, was wary of complacency and was aware of the need for preparation against Pakistan’s bowlers. “We re going to sit down and have a look at their bowlers – make sure we scout appropriately,” he said. “We ll come up with some plans for certain players, which we think is important. We still maintain that if we focus on our skills and play our best cricket, that holds us in good stead. [But] we ll look to do our homework.”

Teams (from):

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Aamer Yamin, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Nasim, Mohammad Amir.

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Corey Anderson, Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi (wk), Mitchell Santner, Ross Taylor.