Pakistan keen to bounce back against Black Caps

 Preview 4th T20I Match

Pakistan keen to bounce back against Black Caps

Asher Butt

LAHORE: Hosts Pakistan will look to bounce back in the series when they take on New Zealland in the fourth T20I of five-match series scheduled to take place on April 25 here at the Gaddafi Stadium, with the game to commence at 19:30 local time.

After the first match of the series was washed out due to rain, Pakistan secured a 7-wicket victory in the second match before New Zealand made a stunning comeback to level the series with a 7-wicket win of their own in the third match.

As the team will be entering into field for their fourth face off, Pakistan would must probably would be relying on the batting of Saim Ayub, Babar Azam and allrounder Shadab Khan as the key players and similarly, New Zealand would be looking forward to their batters in Mark Chapman, Tim Robinson and Tim Seifert.

In the last match performance, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 178/4, with notable contributions from Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, and Shadab Khan. However, New Zealand chased down the target with ease, thanks to Mark Chapman's brilliant unbeaten 87 off just 42 balls.

However, there is an injury concerns in the Pakistan camp. Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is expected to miss the upcoming match and potentially the remainder of the series due to a hamstring injury sustained during the third T20I. Usman Khan is likely to assume the wicketkeeping responsibilities in Rizwan's absence.

The home team will be bitterly disappointed after a defeat on Sunday where their batting and bowling performance was far from satisfactory. The BlackCaps will enter the contest hoping to continue their winning momentum in this fixture. The visitors will not make any changes to their playing XI.

The Gaddafi Stadium is known for producing good batting tracks, with scores around 175-180 being considered par. Both spinners and pace bowlers can expect some assistance from the pitch as the game progresses. The weather forecast predicts a cloudy evening with temperatures as high as 33°C during the playing hours. However, there is no chance of rain or thunderstorms, ensuring an uninterrupted match.

With the series evenly poised at 1-1, both teams will be eager to gain the upper hand in the fourth T20I. Despite New Zealand's recent victory, Pakistan is expected to bounce back strongly in front of their home crowd. But there is a common belief that a closer contest is on the cards with Pakistan emerging victorious.

Keeping in view the previous three games between the two sides, expect an exciting clash between Pakistan and New Zealand as they battle it out for supremacy in the fourth T20I. With both teams boasting talented players, it promises to be a thrilling encounter for the cricket world around to watch. On the other hand, New Zealand will be keen to deliver another clinical performance at Lahore.

Teams (from):

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Haseebullah, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohmmad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan

New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O'Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi.