Pakistan leads the five-match T20I Series 2-1 after 4th match was abandoned
The final T20I will be hosted at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium as Pakistan and New Zealand lock horns for one last time in the series. As it stands, Pakistan has one hand on the trophy after leading the series 2-1 at the end of four games. The fourth and decisive match was abandoned due to a hailstorm in Rawalpindi.
The abandoned game eliminates the chances of New Zealand being the sole winner of the trophy. New Zealand would share the trophy with Pakistan, even if they beat the hosts in the 5th T20I. However, Pakistan could win the series 3-1 if they beat New Zealand on Monday.
Both teams would be looking to end the series on a high as they prepare for the upcoming ODI series, starting soon after. Tom Latham would be proud of his men fighting back in the 3rd T20I. Meanwhile, Babar Azam would want his boys to stamp some authority as they try to clinch the silverware in their backyard.
What have they done so far?
Pakistan has been dominant for most of the T20I series, grabbing two wins out of a possible three. Babar would be a happy captain going into the last match, knowing that the series is theirs to lose. Pakistan finds itself in a very comfortable position as the players prepare for the final game in Pindi. New Zealand would hope to take away at least something from the series. Sharing the trophy is the best possible outcome for the Kiwis. Latham would look forward to marshalling his troops with high spirits for the match on the 24th of April.
Haris Rauf and Saim Ayub have been stand-out performers for the home side. It is important to mention that Rizwan and Azam have flopped in two of the three matches played. Iftikhar has been a vital cog as an all-rounder, along with Ashraf. The duo performed to the best of their abilities in the third match.
Chapman has been consistently scoring runs throughout the series
For the visitors, Matt Henry and Mark Chapman have kept the ship sailing throughout the tournament. The duo has been consistent in the series and has impressed everyone by performing well in pressure situations. Tom Latham played a fine knock in the last game, while Mitchell and Ravindra also provided good contributions.
Head To Head Record
Pakistan has faced New Zealand 32 times in a T20 match. The Head To Head record favors the men in green, as they lead by 20-12. The previous game in the ongoing series was rendered abandoned after Rawalpindi was hit by a hailstorm. The hosts lead the series 2-1, after an impressive start to the tournament.
Key Players
Captain Babar Azam would hope to be the match-winner for his side in Rawalpindi
Babar Azam (Pakistan): With Rawalpindi being a batting wicket, Babar would fancy himself to get some runs in the final T20I. Babar has hit one century already in the series, and he would be hoping to end the T20 series on a high. Babar needs to find his consistency, after two single-digit scores in the series.
Azam could take this as an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming ODI series against the Kiwis, starting soon after. Playing a captain’s innings would be on his mind as he goes for glory in the final match. A match-winning knock would mean Pakistan beating New Zealand by a margin of 3-1.
Mark Chapman (New Zealand): Chapman has been the most consistent player for the visitors throughout the series. He has scored 115 runs in 3 matches, including a half-century in the second match. Chapman would look to continue his dream run in the series and win the game for his team.
The southpaw has impressed fans and critics with his wide range of strokeplay and performance in a tough situation in the second T20I. He also scored 34 runs in the first game, where the team was bundled out for 94 runs.
Predicted XIs
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam ©, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Ihsanullah.
New Zealand: Tom Latham ©, Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister.
Prediction
It is a batting wicket, as per the past pitch reports. We believe that the series will end in a draw at 2-2. Kiwis have shown enough mettle in this tournament and would win the 5th T20I series. The trophy will be shared between the two teams in a high-scoring encounter.
