Christchurch, March 15, 2025 – Pakistan’s T20I squad hit the ground running at Hagley Oval on Friday, launching their preparations for a five-match series against New Zealand. The training session marks the team’s first outing since their underwhelming exit from the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this month, where they finished at the bottom of Group A without a victory.
Under the leadership of newly-appointed captain Salman Ali Agha, the squad arrived in New Zealand on Thursday. After a rest day, the players wasted no time getting to work, engaging in intense net sessions and fielding drills overseen by the coaching staff. Another practice session is slated for Saturday at 1 PM local time at the same venue, as the team fine-tunes its preparations ahead of the series opener on Sunday, March 16.
Speaking to the media earlier this week, Salman expressed optimism about the team’s prospects, emphasizing the potential of Pakistan’s young talent. “We’ve got a strong mix of experience and fresh faces,” he said. “I’m confident we can turn things around and achieve success in this series.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been actively sharing updates, posting clips of the training session on its official social media channels. The footage showcased the players’ focus and energy as they gear up for the challenging tour.
Series Schedule and Squads
The five-match T20I series kicks off on March 16 at Hagley Oval, with subsequent games scheduled as follows:
- March 18: 2nd T20I, Hagley Oval
- March 21: 3rd T20I, Hagley Oval
- March 23: 4th T20I, Mount Maunganui
- March 26: 5th T20I, Wellington
Pakistan’s squad, led by Salman Ali Agha and with Shadab Khan as vice-captain, includes a blend of seasoned campaigners and emerging stars: Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, and Usman Khan.
New Zealand, captained by Michael Bracewell, will field a competitive lineup featuring Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell Hay, Matt Henry (games 4 & 5), Kyle Jamieson (games 1, 2 & 3), Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, and Ish Sodhi.
A Chance for Redemption
Following their Champions Trophy disappointment, Pakistan will be eager to regain momentum and prove their mettle in the T20I format. New Zealand, meanwhile, will look to capitalize on home advantage and their balanced squad to maintain their edge.
With the first ball set to be bowled on Sunday, cricket fans are in for an exciting clash as both teams vie for supremacy in this highly anticipated series.
