By Zainab Shafiq 
Pak vs NZ: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made an exciting announcement, revealing that the national team, fondly known as the Men in Green, will engage in an additional 10 T20Is against New Zealand during the upcoming 2023-24 season. This decision has been made in preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled for the following year.
Schedule for Pak vs NZ
Before this thrilling series against New Zealand, Pakistan will embark on a tour to Australia for three ICC World Test Championship matches in December-January. Subsequently, they will proceed to New Zealand for a captivating five-match T20I series. The matches are scheduled as follows:
- 12th January – 1st T20I in Auckland
- 14th January – 2nd T20I in Hamilton
- 17th January – 3rd T20I in Dunedin
- 19th January – 4th T20I in Christchurch
- 21st January – 5th T20I in Christchurch
Excitingly, reciprocating the gesture, the New Zealand cricket team will later tour Pakistan in April 2024, engaging in another five T20Is. The PCB has indicated that further details regarding this series will be disclosed closer to the scheduled date.
In a press release, the PCB expressed their enthusiasm about this additional series and its impact on the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. Pakistan will now participate in a total of 19 T20Is, comprising 10 matches against New Zealand, three against the Netherlands, two against Ireland, and four against England. In addition to these international encounters, the PCB is set to host the thrilling Pakistan Super League 2024 in February and March 2024.
To accommodate these additional T20Is, slight adjustments have been made to the Future Tours Programme 2023-2025 in consultation with Cricket West Indies and New Zealand Cricket. The two ICC World Test Championship fixtures against the West Indies, initially planned for February 2024 in Pakistan, have been rescheduled to January 2025. Similarly, Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand, originally slated for January 2025 featuring three ODIs and five T20Is, will now take place in April 2025.
It is worth noting that Pakistan and New Zealand recently engaged in a highly competitive and entertaining five-match T20I series in Lahore and Rawalpindi, which concluded with a draw of two victories each. Furthermore, prior to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, Pakistan emerged triumphant in the T20I series held in Christchurch against Bangladesh, with both teams showcasing their skills.
As of now, New Zealand and Pakistan hold the third and fourth rankings, respectively, in the ICC T20I Team Rankings, with a mere two-point difference separating them. This sets the stage for an exhilarating showdown between these talented cricketing nations.
With these additional T20Is and the revamped schedule, both teams will have ample opportunities to fine-tune their strategies, test their mettle, and gain valuable experience ahead of the prestigious T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA in June 2024.
Also, see:
Mohammad Amir hints at playing IPL 2024