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Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez has raised concerns over the decision-making process regarding the captaincy of the national cricket team, particularly highlighting the reinstatement of Babar Azam as white-ball captain after a brief hiatus.
According to a local cricket website, Hafeez was unimpressed with the criteria of selection after Babar Azam’s return as captain.
“I understand that if Babar has learned from his mistakes and if he makes better decisions now and does all the things he didn’t do before, then things might get better. But the selection for this [New Zealand] series will give you an idea that the same process has started again,” Hafeez said.
“For a weak New Zealand, where 12 to 13 main players are not available, for that, we have selected every player who was perhaps sitting at home and called him to come and play for Pakistan. So, I think this is a weak decision regarding this series,” he added.
It must be noted that the first match of the five-T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played today in Rawalpindi.
However, the rain could play spoilsport during the match according to The Weather Channel.
The latest weather forecast states that there is 60 percent chance of rain during the day and 80 percent at night today.
There is also 49 percent chance of rain on April 20, which is the day of the second T20I.
However, the chance of rain on April 21, when the third T20I is set to take place, is considerably less at 19 percent.
After the first three matches at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, both sides will move to Lahore, where they will play the remaining two T20Is of the series on 25 and 27 April, respectively.
All five matches of the T20I series will start at 7:00pm (PST).
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan
Reserves: Haseebullah, Mohammad Ali, Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jr.
New Zealand squad
Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (WK), Ish Sodhi, Tom Blundell, Zak Foulkes.
Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I series schedule
April 18 — 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
April 20 — 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
April 21 — 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
April 25 — 4th T20I, Lahore
April 27 — 5th T20I, Lahore
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