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Hagley Oval Christchurch Pitch Report: How Will The Surface Play For PAK vs NZ 1st T20I?

Debashis Sarangi

Hagley Oval Christchurch [Source: @ShakeelktkKhan/X]Hagley Oval Christchurch [Source: @ShakeelktkKhan/X]

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On Sunday, Pakistan will cross swords against New Zealand in the first T20I of the upcoming five-match series. The much-awaited encounter will be played at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. 

Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan have a relatively inexperienced squad. However, the Men in Green have match-winners like Usman Khan, Mohammad Haris, Shaheen Afridi and Abbas Afridi, who can give the BlackCaps a run for their money. 

On the other hand, New Zealand will pretty much rely on Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman to succeed with the bat. Meanwhile, skipper Michael Bracewell will spearhead their bowling attack with William O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson. 

Ahead of the fascinating encounter, let’s see how the surface at Hagley Oval in Christchurch will behave throughout the contest. 

Hagley Oval Christchurch T20I Stats And Records

Criterion
Data
Matches played14
Matches won batting 1st6
Matches won batting 2nd8
Average 1st innings score157
Average 2nd innings score130
Average run rate in men's T20Is7.95
% of wickets by pacers65.57
% of wickets by spinners34.42


Hagley Oval Pitch Report: Is the surface batting or bowling friendly?

The surface at Hagley Oval in Christchurch generally offers good batting conditions. The average scoring rate in the last five T20Is at this venue reads 8.17, suggesting that the pitch has been decent for batting in recent times. 

So, expect a balanced wicket with an even pace and bounce for the first T20I. The top-order batters should neutralise the first few overs before shifting gears. Nevertheless, shot selection will be key at this venue, as poor shots could lead to underwhelming outings for the batters. 

As it’s late summer in New Zealand, spinners might exploit the dryness of the pitch and get the ball to turn at times. Meanwhile, the seamers might focus on hitting the deck and varying their pace. Something around 175 could be the par score here. Unless the track is on the drier side, expect the toss-winning team to bowl first.