Pakistan win toss, elect to bowl first in must-win third T20I against NZ

Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series at Eden Park in Auckland.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (c), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf

New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears

New Zealand currently leads the five-match series 2-0, having won the first game by nine wickets and the second by five wickets.

In the opening game, they defeated Pakistan by a dominant nine wickets, and in the rain-affected second T20I, the hosts secured a five-wicket victory.

With another loss in the upcoming match, Pakistan’s chances of winning the series would be over.

The third T20I is a must-win for Pakistan as they aim to keep their hopes alive in the series.

Despite losing the first two matches of the series, Javed remains optimistic about his team’s chances and believes that the changes will strengthen their prospects for the upcoming game.

Speaking to the media, he emphasized that the primary focus remains on building a solid squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup.

Javed mentioned that playing in challenging conditions like those in New Zealand would better prepare the team for the high-pressure tournaments later this year in the subcontinent.

“The team is young, but we are here to win the series. Our performances are improving, and we will fight back in Auckland,” Javed stated, expressing confidence despite the setbacks in the earlier matches.

He acknowledged the difficulties of adapting to foreign conditions but stressed that integrating young players into such environments is vital for long-term success.

“People want immediate results, and so do we. We will try to make a strong comeback in the third match,” he added.

Javed also pointed out that Pakistan’s T20 setup has lagged behind other teams in recent years, as many top cricketing nations have developed specialized T20 squads.