New ball game

Even though Pakistan lost it 2-1, the T20I series against New Zealand ended on an encouraging note for the touring party. Pakistan’s convincing victory in the final T20I — after two back-to-back defeats that meant the hosts took away the series — must have given the visitors a great amount of confidence before the start of the Boxing Day Test at Mount Manganui, the first of the two-match test series, with the second one scheduled at Christchurch from January 3 to 7. Mohammed Rizwan — who is to lead the team in the absence of skipper Babar Azam and his deputy Shadab Khan, both ruled out of the first Test at least due to injuries — will go into the game as a relieved man whose destructive 59-ball 89 as an opener, laced with three sixes and 10 boundaries, in the final T20I must have silenced his critics back home.

With Rizwan having a good mix of youth and experience at his disposal, better results in the new ball game are pretty likely. Pakistan have historically performed well in the Test matches (and in shorter versions of the game for that matter) hosted by New Zealand. Of the 13 Test rubbers on the Kiwi turf, Pakistan have only lost one, in 2016-17. Of the 31 Tests played between the two sides in New Zealand, Pakistan won 10 and lost 7, with 14 ending in draw. The UAE has also played host to the two sides for as many Test series, in 2014-15 and 2018-19. Pakistan failed to win either, with the first one ending in 1-1 draw and the second one going to New Zealand 2-1. The statistics, however, indicate an improved performance by New Zealand against Pakistan over the last couple of years. Mind you the Kiwis have undergone a remarkable turnaround in recent times, and this Kane Williamson-led side ranks at 2^nd and 3^rd in Tests and ODIs respectively, as against Pakistan’s 7^th and 6^th.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2020.

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