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NZ vs PAK Match Prediction: Who Will Win Today's 1st T20I Between New Zealand And Pakistan?

Aakash Saini

NZ vs PAK Match Prediction [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]NZ vs PAK Match Prediction [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]

Pakistan’s white-ball tour of New Zealand will kick-off with the series-opening first T20I match on Sunday, March 16. The match will be hosted by the Hagley Oval in Christchurch from 6:45 AM IST onwards.

The New Zealand cricket team faced Sri Lanka at home in its previous T20I assignment a couple of months ago. After winning the first couple of T20Is to seal the series, the ‘Black Caps’ fell just short of a tall chase in the third game. The New Zealanders also faced Sri Lanka in their preceding T20I series, albeit in the island nation. The two-match series played between the two sides ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

The Pakistan cricket team is currently on an unwanted three-match losing streak. Back in December, the ‘Men in Green’ outclassed Zimbabwe with emphatic margins to seal the series 2-0 in Bulawayo before losing the third T20I in a last-over thriller. Mohammad Rizwan and co. further suffered crushing defeats in South Africa against the hosts to lose their away series 0-2.

NZ vs PAK 1st T20I Predicted Top Performers

Player Name
Roles
New Zealand
Daryl MitchellAll-rounder
Michael Bracewell All-rounder
Jacob Duffy Bowler
Pakistan
Agha SalmanAll-rounder
Haris Rauf Bowler
Abbas Afridi Bowler

NZ vs PAK 1st T20I Predicted Game Changers

Finn Allen

  • Young New Zealand top-order batter Finn Allen holds an explosive strike rate of nearly 160 in T20Is. The cricketer has so far listed two centuries and four half-centuries in his 47-match T20I career. 
  • Earlier this year, he sprung up quite a few notable knocks for Perth Scorchers during the BBL 2024-25 season in Australia. He also played four 50-overs matches for Auckland in the recently-concluded 2025 Ford Trophy.

Shaheen Afridi

  • Pakistan pace maverick Shaheen Afridi holds an innate ability of making the new ball talk during the powerplay overs. The conditions at the Hagley Oval will also assist Shaheen to seize early advantage for Pakistan against New Zealand. 
  • After playing 75 T20I matches for his country, the cricketer has already picked up 100 wickets at an average of 21.24.

Hagley Oval, Christchurch Pitch Report

The Hagley Oval in Christchurch is known for its fast and bouncy pitches. The surface here tends to remain covered in grass which helps generate much seam movement and bounce for the fast bowlers. The average first innings total here in the past five T20I matches has turned out to be 167. While the Hagley Oval pitch offers significant assistance to pacers, the ball also comes on to the bat nicely.

NZ vs PAK Toss Prediction

The captain winning the toss will be expected to field first.

NZ vs PAK Predicted Score Today

1st innings: 155-160
2nd innings: 160-165

NZ vs PAK Win Probability 

[Source: CREX App][Source: CREX App]

The general opinion of the viewers lie in favor of the Pakistan cricket team to win this game.

OneCricket’s Predicted Winner Today

Considering the home advantage and recent head-to-head form, hosts New Zealand will be considered as favorites to win the match and take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series.