3 Out-Of-Form Pakistan Players Who Could Be Dropped For 3rd T20I vs New Zealand

Pakistan will take on NZ in 3rd T20I tomorrow [Source: AP]

On Friday, Pakistan will cross swords against New Zealand in the third T20 International of the ongoing five-match series. The much-awaited clash will be played at Eden Park in Auckland. 

Led by Agha Salman, Pakistan have been miserable in the T20I series. After losing the first T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, the visitors suffered another five-wicket loss in the subsequent game in Dunedin. 

Several Pakistan players are struggling with horrible form; so, as the third T20I is a do-or-die game for them, the visitors could drop some non-performing players from their playing XI, as mentioned below. 

1. Hasan Nawaz

(Hasan Nawaz's stats in NZ T20Is)

• Young opener Hasan Nawaz has had a miserable run in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand. 
• He has recorded two consecutive ducks, letting the visiting team down with his rough patch. He has shown positive intent while finding it extremely tough to tackle the Kiwi pacers against the moving ball. 
• So, considering his vulnerability at the top order, Pakistan might consider him replacing with either Usman Khan or Omair Bin Yousuf. 

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2. Mohammad Ali

(Mohammad Ali's stats in NZ T20Is)

• Ace speedster Mohammad Ali has been far from his best in the New Zealand T20Is. In two matches, Ali has conceded 59 runs while scalping a solitary wicket. 
• His economy of 11.80 signifies his inability to restrict the flow of runs. Meanwhile, his strike rate of 30 suggests how mediocre he has been as a wicket-taker in the series. 
• So, keeping his abysmal form in mind, the Pakistan team management could decide to drop him and bring Abbas Afridi or Abrar Ahmed back into the XI.  

3. Abdul Samad

(Abdul Samad's stats in NZ T20Is)

• Swashbuckling finisher Abdul Samad has failed to live up to the expectations in the New Zealand T20Is. 
• In two innings, Samad has managed only 18 runs at an average of nine and a horrible strike rate of 94.74. 
• In 18 T20 innings, Samad has struck only 258 runs at a modest average of 17.20. Although Irfan Khan Niazi has also struggled with poor form, his overall T20I record (165 runs, average 27.5, SR 133.1) might prompt the Pakistani think tank to persist with him for another game. 

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