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Babar To Open, Amir & Shaheen To Bowl In Tandem; Pakistan's Probable XI For 1st T20I vs NZ

PAK will take on NZ in 1st T20I on Thursday [X.com]PAK will take on NZ in 1st T20I on Thursday [X.com]

On Thursday, Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the first T20I of the upcoming five-match series. The high-octane clash between the two formidable white-ball teams is scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. 

After suffering a crushing 4-1 defeat against the BlackCaps in their backyard, Pakistan made a significant change to their leadership group, reinstating Babar Azam as the white-ball skipper. 

Shaheen Afridi had to step down as the T20I captain, as his tactical blunders took a toll on not only Pakistan but also his PSL franchise, Lahore Qalandars. 

So, as the Men in Green get ready for the series opener, let's see what could be their playing XI for this game. 


Pakistan's probable XI for 1st T20I vs NZ

In Pakistan's previous T20I assignment against the Kiwis, Babar Azam was demoted to number three in the batting lineup. However, with Babar returning as the captain, he might prefer to bat at his favoured opening position, dropping Rizwan down to number three. 

Swashbuckling left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman will likely bat at number four, where he played throughout the New Zealand T20Is in January. 

The explosive duo of Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan will do the finishing job alongside Imad Wasim, who recently received a recall owing to his stellar performance in the PSL 2024.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Amir's comeback has taken Pakistan's pacer bowling attack to a whole new level, as the experienced seamer will bowl alongside Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah. Abrar Ahmed, who had a magnificent PSL 2024 season, will likely lead Pakistan's spin attack. 

Pakistan's probable playing XI

Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed