The Pakistan cricket team toured New Zealand in December 2020 and January 2021 to play two Test and five Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.[1][2] The Test series formed part of the inaugural 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship.[3][4] In August 2020, New Zealand Cricket confirmed that the tour was going ahead,[5] and were working with their government to comply with biosecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] On 29 September 2020, New Zealand Cricket confirmed the full schedule of the tour.[7][8]
| Pakistani cricket team in New Zealand in 2020–21 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 | ||
| New Zealand | Pakistan | ||
| Dates | 18 December 2020 – 7 January 2021 | ||
| Captains | Kane Williamson[n 1] |
Mohammad Rizwan (Tests) Shadab Khan (T20Is) | |
| Test series | |||
| Result | New Zealand won the 2-match series 2–0 | ||
| Most runs | Kane Williamson (388) | Mohammad Rizwan (202) | |
| Most wickets | Kyle Jamieson (16) | Shaheen Afridi (6) | |
| Player of the series | Kane Williamson (NZ) | ||
| Twenty20 International series | |||
| Results | New Zealand won the 3-match series 2–1 | ||
| Most runs | Tim Seifert (176) | Mohammad Hafeez (140) | |
| Most wickets | Tim Southee (6) | Haris Rauf (5) | |
| Player of the series | Tim Seifert (NZ) | ||
On 10 November 2020, Babar Azam was appointed captain of Pakistan's Test side,[9] replacing Azhar Ali.[10] However, he did not play in any matches on the tour, after breaking his thumb in a training session.[11]
New Zealand won the first two T20I matches, therefore winning the series with a game to spare.[12] Pakistan won the third and final match by four wickets, with New Zealand winning the series 2–1.[13]
New Zealand won the first Test by 101 runs,[14] extending their unbeaten run at home to 16 matches.[15] New Zealand won the second Test by an innings and 176 runs, to win the series 2–0.[16] The series win meant that they finished top of ICC Test Team Rankings for the first time.[17]
Squads
edit| Tests | T20Is | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 New Zealand[18]
|
 Pakistan[19]
|
New Zealand[20]
|
Pakistan[21]
|
Pakistan named a squad of 35 players for the tour.[22][23] On 22 November 2020, Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tour due to a fever and did not travel with the team to New Zealand.[24] On 13 December 2020, Babar Azam was ruled out of the T20I series, after he broke his thumb in a training sessions.[25] As a result, Shadab Khan was named as the captain of Pakistan's squad for the T20I series.[26] Babar Azam was also ruled out of Pakistan's squad for the first Test, with Mohammad Rizwan named as captain of the side.[27] Ahead of the first Test, Shadab Khan was ruled out of the match due to an injury.[28] Zafar Gohar was added to Pakistan's squad as Khan's replacement.[29] On 26 December 2020, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Shadab Khan had been ruled out of the second Test,[30] and Pakistan's home Test series against South Africa.[31] Imam-ul-Haq was also ruled out of Pakistan's Test squad, due to a fractured thumb.[32] On 2 January 2021, the PCB confirmed that Babar Azam had also been ruled out of second Test match.[33]
New Zealand named Mitchell Santner as captain for the first T20I, with Kane Williamson named as captain for the remaining matches.[34] Santner, along with Blair Tickner, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy and Doug Bracewell were included for the first T20I, before being replaced by Trent Boult, Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell and Tim Southee.[35] Lockie Ferguson and Colin de Grandhomme were both ruled out of New Zealand's Test squad due to injuries,[36][37] with New Zealand Cricket naming the Test squad on 21 December 2020.[38] Neil Wagner was ruled out of New Zealand's squad for the second Test, after suffering two broken toes during the first Test.[39] Matt Henry was named as Wagner's replacement for the second Test.[40]
Practice matches
editThe Pakistan A team were scheduled to play two four-day matches against the New Zealand A team, one in Queenstown and one in Whangārei, in December 2020.[41] Both fixtures were unofficial Test matches, with first-class status.[42] However, the first match was cancelled following a delay for the Pakistan cricketers to practice in isolation.[43][44] The Pakistan squad opted to play intra-squad matches in Queenstown instead.[45] The Pakistan A squad also played twenty-over matches against several New Zealand domestic sides.[46]
Northern Knights
203/2 (20 overs) |
v
|
|
Zeeshan Malik 52 (33)
Josh Brown 3/42 (4 overs) |
- Pakistan A won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Haider Ali 64 (28)
Simon Keene 2/34 (4 overs) |
Rhys Mariu 48 (35)
Usman Qadir 3/18 (3 overs) |
- New Zealand XI won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Pakistan A won the toss and elected to field.
T20I series
edit1st T20I
editv
|
||
- Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.
- Jacob Duffy (NZ) made his T20I debut.
- Shadab Khan captained Pakistan for the first time in T20Is.[47]
2nd T20I
editv
|
||
- Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.
3rd T20I
editv
|
||
- Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
Test series
edit1st Test
edit26–30 December 2020
Scorecard |
v
|
||
- Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
- Mohammad Rizwan captained Pakistan for the first time in Tests.[48]
- Ross Taylor became the most-capped player for New Zealand in international cricket, playing in his 438th match across all three formats.[49]
- Tim Southee (NZ) took his 300th wicket in Tests.[50]
- World Test Championship points: New Zealand 60, Pakistan 0.
2nd Test
editv
|
||
- New Zealand won the toss and elected to field.
- Zafar Gohar (Pak) made his Test debut.
- Henry Nicholls (NZ) scored his 2,000th run in Tests.[51]
- Kane Williamson became the fastest batsman for New Zealand, in terms of innings, to score 7,000 runs in Tests (144).[52]
- Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls recorded highest fourth wicket partnership for New Zealand in Tests (369).[53]
- Daryl Mitchell (NZ) scored his first century in Tests.[54]
- World Test Championship points: New Zealand 60, Pakistan 0.
Notes
edit- ^ Mitchell Santner captained New Zealand for the first T20I.
- ^ While five days of play were scheduled for each Test, the second Test reached a result in four days.
References
edit- ^ "Complete schedule of Pakistan cricket team in 2020 including Asia Cup and T20 World Cup". The National. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "Black Caps home season likely to start mid-November as cricket schedule takes shape". Stuff. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- ^ "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "NZ Cricket confirms West Indies, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Australia will tour here this summer". TVNZ. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ "New Zealand to host West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Bangladesh during home season". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan confirms ICC World Test Championship fixtures against New Zealand". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- ^ "International Cricket to start with Eden Park Showdown". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam appointed Test captain". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam replaces Azhar Ali as Pakistan Test captain". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam to miss Christchurch Test". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "New Zealand vs Pakistan: Tim Southee stars as Black Caps seal Twenty20 series". Stuff. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "Rizwan's 89 off 59 the centrepiece of Pakistan victory". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Black Caps vs Pakistan: Wagner, Jamieson, Santner secure thrilling win for hosts". Stuff. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Stats - Fawad Alam ends 11-year wait in style". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "New Zealand become No. 1 Test team after series sweep against Pakistan". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- ^ "New Zealand's journey to the top of Test Rankings". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- ^ "Ajaz Patel left out for Pakistan Tests as Mitchell Santner retains his place". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq ruled out of first Test; Mohammad Rizwan named captain". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Ross Taylor dropped for Pakistan T20Is; Lockie Ferguson out with injury". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan recall Sarfaraz Ahmed, Hussain Talat for New Zealand T20Is". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan name 35-player squad for New Zealand". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ^ "Misbah ul Haq announces Pakistan squad for New Zealand tour". Geo News. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ^ "Fakhar Zaman ruled out of New Zealand tour". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam ruled out of T20Is against New Zealand". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam ruled out of T20Is against New Zealand". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Imran Butt named in 17-player Test squad". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Shadab Khan out of first New Zealand Test with thigh injury". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Shadab Khan ruled out of first Test, Zafar Gohar added". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Shadab Khan advised six-week rest". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Shadab Khan to miss Tests against New Zealand, South Africa". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Shadab Khan, Imam-ul-Haq ruled out of New Zealand tour". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Babar Azam ruled out of second New Zealand Test". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "Boult & Williamson return to T20 squad, Conway & Phillips retain batting spots, Ferguson & Bennett ruled out". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ "Williamson, Boult return to New Zealand side for Pakistan T20Is". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ "Ferguson out for six weeks with stress fracture to his back". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Colin de Grandhomme out of Pakistan Tests; Kane Williamson expected for second T20I". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Santner retained for Pakistan Tests as WTC Final looms". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Injured Neil Wagner out of second Test, could be out of action for 'five to six weeks'". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "Matt Henry replaces injured Neil Wagner for second Test". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Nicholls, Conway & Young to face West Indies in Queenstown". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "Glenn Phillips, Lockie Ferguson and Devon Conway named in New Zealand A squads". Business World. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Shaheens, New Zealand A first four-day match cancelled". ARY Sports. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "PCB, NZC mutually scrap Pakistan Shaheen's 1st four-day game due to training delays". Geo Super. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "First match between Pakistan Shaheens and New Zealand A cancelled". Geo News. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan Shaheens' schedule for New Zealand tour finalised". Geo News. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Run fest on the cards as inexperienced New Zealand face Babar-less Pakistan". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ "Mohammad Rizwan: From being an outlier to Pakistan's main man". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- ^ "Black Caps vs Pakistan: Ross Taylor and Tim Southee nearing big milestones". Stuff. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- ^ "Black Caps vs Pakistan: 300th test wicket 'special' for Tim Southee". Stuff. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "Cricket: Records tumble for Black Caps on day three of test against Pakistan". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "Kane Williamson masterclass and hundreds from Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell as New Zealand grind down Pakistan". Stuff. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "The records Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls broke". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "New Zealand v Pakistan: Daryl Mitchell's unlikely maiden test century a 'pretty surreal' feeling". Stuff. Retrieved 5 January 2021.