Pakistan's skipper Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second T20I against New Zealand at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The toss took place at 7:00 PM (PST) in Rawalpindi where both the skippers, Babar and Michael Bracewell, were present.
Pakistan are unchanged while New Zealand have made one change with Cole McConchie replacing Josh Clarkson from the first T20I, which was called off due to persistent rain after just two balls were bowled.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi
Remember, despite the weather remaining clear throughout the day, there is a very little chance of rain at the time both teams would take on one another.
Pindi’s head groundsman, Sarfraz Ahmed, told The News earlier that his team made remarkable efforts to make the ground in great condition as they would clear the field whenever the rain would stop on Friday.
“We kept ourselves busy throughout the day. When the rain stops we make best efforts to clear the field or at least clear the water from above the covers. This way chances of water creeping through the covers into the square or pitches are remote, Ahmed had said.
It is also worth noting that the chance of rain on Sunday (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.
The series is being broadcast live on Pakistan’s first sports channel Geo Super.
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
