Pakistan and New Zealand cricket teams took part in separate practice sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium

By;Asghar Ali Mubarak

Pakistan and New Zealand cricket teams took part in separate practice sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday evening. In Rawalpindi, the players of both the teams had looks difficulty in adjusting the seasons due to the heat and confinement. However, after the sunset the players played well in the floodlights. The ODI series against New Zealand will be played at the Rawalpindi Stadium, with matches scheduled for Sept 17, 19, and 21, while the Gaddafi Stadium will host five T20s scheduled to take place from Sept 25 to Oct 3.The New Zealand players focused on catching and fielding practice session and were seen diving at Pindi Stadium. Kiwi’s players Show the essence of batting bowling in net practice after the first phase of the practice session. On the other hand, in the Pakistani team during practice session focused on and batting. Bowling coach of Pakistan cricket team Abdul Razaq instructed the bowlers to bowl inside the wickets. Pakistani fast bowler Hassan Ali appeared in good form. He bowled the players several times in the practice session. It is to be noted that the ODI series between the two teams is being played in Rawalpindi. On Monday, the Pakistani squads were seen participating in their practice sessions on one side of the ground. Special stump hitting and diving exercises were also conducted for the players in the fielding session. Pakistani players were seen training at the center while the Kiwi ‘s players pitches practice on other side. A bomb blast outside the New Zealand team’s hotel in Karachi in 2002 had cut short the Black Caps’ last Test tour of Pakistan, but they visited again for an ODI series the following year. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan’s central body in the fight against COVID-19, has approved an attendance of 25 percent of crowd capacity for the upcoming series between Pakistan and New Zealand. Accordingly, 4,500 (approx) spectators will be allowed to watch the ODI matches, while around 5,500 can be accommodated for the T20I series. Only those who are fully vaccinated and have the Immunisation Certificate for Covid-19 will be allowed entry.

Since the 2003 ODI series, Pakistan have thrice hosted New Zealand for ODIs in the United Arab Emirates with the Black Caps winning the 2019-10 and 2014-15 series and drawing the 2018-19 rubber. New Zealand’s tour to Pakistan was cut short in 2002 after a bomb explosion outside the team’s hotel in Karachi. The Kiwis played a one-day series in 2003, but there have been no tours to Pakistan since. New Zealand team is here for three ODIs and five T20Is on their first visit to Pakistan after 18 years.
Pakistan ODI squad:
Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Haris (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shadab Khan (Northern), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh), Usman Qadir (Central Punjab) and Zahid Mahmood (Southern Punjab)
Schedule:
Sept 13-16 – Training/practice/intra-squad match
Sept 17 – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
Sept 19 – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
Sept 21 – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi
Sept 25 – 1st T20I, Lahore
Sept 26 – 2nd T20I, Lahore
Sept 29 – 3rd T20I, Lahore
Oct 01 – 4th T20I, Lahore
Oct 03 – 5th T20I, Lahore