Rawalpindi to host two ODIs: PCB announces revised schedule of NZ-Pakistan series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday confirmed Rawalpindi, along with two T20Is and the first ODI, will also host the second ODI against New Zealand.

The two ODIs will be played on April 27 and 29 instead of April 26 and 30, respectively. Karachi, originally scheduled to hold four ODIs, will stage the last three ODIs.

The New Zealand T20 squad will depart from New Zealand on April 9 the day after the KFC T20 Series against Sri Lanka concludes in Queenstown.

The opening match of the five match T20I Series is scheduled for April 14 in Lahore with the first of five ODIs starting on April 26 in Rawalpindi.

Tom Latham will lead a Blackcaps ODI Squad in Pakistan later this month featuring two potential debutants in Ben Lister and Cole McConchie. The regular Canterbury skipper is also part of the T20 Squad to tour Pakistan and has won selection on the back of a strong season across all formats in domestic cricket. McConchie’s 1140 runs across formats are the second most of any player this season while he’s also picked up eight wickets.

Lister featured in the ODI Squad to face Sri Lanka during the recently completed ANZ ODI Series but didn’t take the field and has the chance to add to his international T20 debut against India earlier this year. The 15-man squad also features further opportunities for recent ODI debutants Chad Bowes, Rachin Ravindra and Henry Shipley.

Those new faces are balanced by an experienced core including six members of the squad that made the final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Nine players from the squad also have recent experience in Pakistan, featuring in either the Test or ODI Squads that played in Karachi earlier this year.

The traveling squads will also have the benefit of extra experience in Pakistani conditions with Saqlain Mushtaq joining the group as an assistant coach. Gary Stead said the prospect of taking on Pakistan across both white ball formats was an exciting one.

“We’ve enjoyed a number of exciting matches against Pakistan across both white ball formats in the last season home and way. They are a tough team no matter where you take them on. The successful ODI Series earlier this year in Pakistan provided big learning opportunities for the players and having more ODI match experience is fantastic in a World Cup year. Having someone with Saqlain’s experience is a big boost for the group and we are looking forward to the insights he can offer us to aid our preparations for local conditions, and in particular the assistance he can provide to our spin bowling group,” Gray Stead said.

Stead said that Lister, who plays for the Aces, has impressed the coaching group with his desire to learn since joining the Blackcaps environment.

“Making your debut in India is a big challenge and it’s been great to see Ben really try and soak up every opportunity since then,” he said.

New Zealand ODI squad: Tom Latham (Captain), Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young.

Revised schedule

14th Apr - 1st T20I, Lahore

15th Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore

17th Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore

20th Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi

24th Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi

27th Apr – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi

29th Apr – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi

3rd May – 3rd ODI, Karachi

5th May – 4th ODI, Karachi

7th May – 5th ODI, Karachi.

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