PAK vs NZ Ball by Ball Commentary

5:24 PM IST That is all from this game. Just the two balls played in this one. Join us for the second match on the 20th of this month at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT). Join us earlier for the build up. Cheers.

5:21 PM IST Mark Chapman walks to the middle. Chapman comes in and brings some rain as well. We think that should be the end of the game.  Yes, players are shaking hands. Not the comeback we were hoping for to international cricket. The rain gods have the upper hand. Not the resumption we wanted but that is all from this game. NO RESULT.

5:17 PM IST Time for the action to begin! Out come the players again. Tim Robinson and Tim Seifert are the openers. Shaheen Afridi to bowl the first over. Here we go...

5:11 PM IST Update 10.40 pm IST (05.30 pm GMT) - We have the best news for you by far, it is a 5 over contest and the game should start soon.

4:40 PM IST Update - 10.08 pm IST (4.38 pm GMT) - Some movement on the ground. The covers are slowly coming off but we have lost a lot of time already. Let's hope we get positive news.

4:03 PM IST Update - 9.30 pm IST (4 pm GMT) - The rain has eased off, it actually has almost gone. The covers are still in place though. The wait continues.

3:33 PM IST Update (9.03 pm IST) (3.33 pm GMT) - It continues to rain and there was sights of thunder also nearby. The delay seems a lengthy one. All we can do for now is keep our fingers crossed and hope.

3:01 PM IST Update - 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT) - Well, just as the first ball was being bowled, it has started to drizzle and the covers are on. It has gotten heavier now as well as we write. The players run back to the dug out but it seems a passing shower.

2:54 PM IST Time for action to unfold. It's time for national anthems first. The players have lined up and it will be the visitors' national anthem first followed by the hosts. All set now. Tim Robinson and Tim Seifert to open for the Kiwis. Shaheen Afridi to bowl first. Let's go...

2:36 PM IST New Zealand (Playing XI) - Tim Seifert, Tim Robinson, Dean Foxcroft, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell (C), Josh Clarkson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Benjamin Lister.

2:35 PM IST Pakistan (Playing XI) - Babar Azam (C), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed.

2:34 PM IST Babar Azam says he is happy with the squad available for this series and it's a good opportunity to utilise and try some players. Shares they wanted to bowl first due to overcast conditions. Reckons the first six overs are going to be crucial.

2:33 PM IST Michael Bracewell says it is a wonderful wicket and will put runs on the board. Adds Tim Robinson makes his debut and he is loking forward to the series after picking up an injury.

2:31 PM IST TOSS - New Zealand have won the toss and will BAT.

2:24 PM IST Update - 7.50 pm IST (2.20 pm GMT) - The rain has stopped! The action will start at 8.30 pm IST. The toss will happen in the next 10 minutes.

1:57 PM IST Update - 7.25 pm IST (1.55 pm GMT) - The weather has not been supportive at Rawalpindi for the past few days and it's drizzling right now as well. Unfortunately, the toss has been delayed. Stay tuned. 

1:29 PM IST It's time for international cricket to resume as we welcome you all for the clash between Pakistan and New Zealand. As the teams prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup held in June, New Zealand will take on Pakistan for a 5-match T20I series. New Zealand have named a 'B' team as most of their players are performing in the Indian T20 League. Michael Bracewell is handed the captaincy role with quite a few new faces waiting to make an impact. New Zealand still have players like Tim Seifert, James Neesham, Ish Sodhi and Tom Blundell to gather some experience but to compare that to Pakistan, we feel the home team are the favourites to win the series. Babar Azam is back with the captaincy role after a small stint by Shaheen Afridi. Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have come back from retirement after a successful PSL and are all set to help their team prepare for the T20I World Cup. Who do you think will win? Toss and team news next.

1:29 PM IST ...MATCH DAY...

8:02 PM IST The anticipation surges as the international T20 spectacle returns, with Pakistan rolling out the red carpet to welcome New Zealand for a thrilling 5-match T20I series. This electrifying showdown comes as a pivotal prelude to the eagerly awaited ICC Men's T20 World Cup, slated for June this year. Laden with profound significance, this series serves as an indispensable platform for both teams to meticulously refine their strategies and harmonize their strengths ahead of the impending global showdown. The inaugural clash of this series promises to set the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ablaze with pulsating action, as Babar Azam reassumes his role at the helm of Pakistan's white-ball brigade. Reflecting on their previous encounters, both these teams engaged in a spirited 5-match series earlier this year in New Zealand, where the Kiwis asserted their dominance over Pakistan, clinching the series with a commanding 4-1 victory. Following Pakistan's unsatisfactory performance at the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, Babar Azam relinquished the captaincy across all formats. However, Shaheen Afridi's stewardship was brief, with only a solitary bilateral series under his leadership, as Babar Azam is now reinstated as the captain of the senior men's cricket team for white-ball cricket. Moreover, the series also marks the triumphant international comebacks of Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim. Despite previously announcing their retirements from international cricket, both stalwarts have now returned to the fold and are eager to vie for a coveted spot in Pakistan's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub emerge as the shining stars following a successful Pakistan Super League campaign, amassing runs with remarkable consistency. The bowlers have also made significant contributions, which will boost the team's overall confidence. This formidable combination renders the Pakistan side a well-rounded force, poised to leave no stone unturned as they embark on this pivotal series against the Kiwis who will be competing with a second-string squad as their key players are busy plying their trade in the 17th season of the Indian T20 League. New Zealand have named the allrounder Michael Bracewell as their captain for this series. Bracewell, though he has not played an International match since March last year and has recently returned to domestic duties following injury concerns, brings with him a wealth of experience and determination. Despite the inexperienced team, New Zealand has put together a strong squad that will undoubtedly pose a formidable challenge to Pakistan. The weather predictions at Rawalpindi look gloomy, with potential rain threatening to disrupt the first three games, but we hope for the weather gods' benevolence as we eagerly anticipate another high-intensity clash between these two great sides. Who do you think will clinch this series?