NZ vs PAK Fantasy Prediction: New Zealand vs Pakistan 1st T20I – 18 December (Auckland). Two teams who love the shortest format of the game are up against each other on this pocket-sized ground.
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Hosts New Zealand will take on Pakistan in the 1st T20I match of the three matches T20I series. Two teams who love playing the shortest format of the game are up against each other. This series promises to be a brilliant affair.
New Zealand are going to miss a few of their big players in this game. Kane Williamson is rested for this game, whereas Ross Taylor has been dropped from the team. The full pace bowling line-up is also not available for this game. Guptill, Conway, and Phillips are going to lead the batting, whereas Mitchell Santner is the captain of the team. This game can be a tough game for the hosts.
Pakistan are going to miss both of their stable T20 openers in this game. Babar is ruled out due to an injury, whereas Fakhar could not come on the tour. Shadab Khan is going to lead the side, whereas he will need the support of their key players. The pace bowling looks all set, whereas Imad is going to do the spin duties with Shadab Khan. Mohammad Rizwan is expected to open the innings alongside Abdullah Shafique.
Pitch Conditions and Weather Details
The shorter boundaries of this ground will surely help the batsmen. This pitch is going to be good for batting and, the bowlers need to attack the square boundaries. The average 1st inning score at this ground is 220 runs.
Total T20I Games Played: 74; Bat 1st Won: 32; Bat 2nd Won: 40; N/R: 2
We can expect clouds throughout the game.
Probable XI for both sides:-
New Zealand – Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert, Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Scott Kuggeleign, Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy.
Pakistan – Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Shaheen Afridi.
Match Details
Three Match T20I Series
Match: New Zealand vs Pakistan First T20I Match
Date and Time: 18 December, Friday- 11:30 AM IST
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland.
Where to Watch: Fancode
Top 4 Batting Order
New Zealand
Martin Guptill, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, and Devon Conway.
Pakistan
Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Haider Ali, and Mohammad Hafeez.
Death Over Specialists
New Zealand
- Blair Tickner and Jacob Duffy
Pakistan
- Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi
NZ vs PAK Fantasy Wicket-Keeper
Glenn Phillips and Mohammad Rizwan will be our wicket-keepers in this game. Phillips scored 130 runs in just a couple of games against the West Indies, whereas he scored a century as well. Rizwan can open the innings, whereas he scored 389 runs in the National T20 Cup. Both of them are aggressive players at the top-order.
NZ vs PAK Fantasy Batsmen
Martin Guptill and Devon Conway will be our batsmen from New Zealand. Guptill is a T20 veteran whereas, Conway has made a great start to his international career. Conway has scored 106 runs in just a couple of games against the West Indies, whereas Guptill’s T20I average is 32.19.
Haider Ali will be our batsman from Pakistan. He has scored 154 runs at an average of 51.33 in T20I cricket. Haider also scored 294 runs in National T20 Cup, whereas his average was 36.75.
NZ vs PAK Fantasy All-Rounders
James Neesham will be our all-rounder from New Zealand. Neesham can get promoted in this game due to the lack of senior players in the team. He has scored at an S/R of 150.32 in T20Is, whereas he has picked 14 wickets as well.
Mohammad Hafeez will be our all-rounder from Pakistan. Hafeez has scored 2183 T20I runs, whereas he has picked 54 wickets in his bowling as well. He also won the Man of the Series trophy in England.
NZ vs PAK Fantasy Bowlers
From New Zealand, the duo of Blair Ticker and Jacob Duffy will make it into our team. Tickner has picked 66 T20 wickets in 44 games, whereas Duffy has scalped 79 in 67 games. Both of them are selected just for this game of the series.
Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi will be our bowlers from Pakistan. Afridi and Rauf picked 20 & 18 wickets, respectively, in the National T20 Cup. Both of them are T20 specialists and have been on fire this season.
Match Prediction: New Zealand are the favourites to win this game.
Top Names for the Captaincy Role:-
Martin Guptill and Devon Conway
Top Names for the Vice-Captaincy Role:-
Both the captain’s pick + Glenn Phillips and Haider Ali
SportsRush Small-League Fantasy Team for the Game
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Fantasy Disclaimer
All our selections are based on in-depth and astute analysis of the players partaking in the match, pitch report and a perusal of other reasoning. Please incorporate a slew of factors while crafting your own side with this article serving as a guide to the match and players
