Pakistan tour of New Zealand 2020

[Abdullah719]

Karachi, Sep 9 (PTI) The Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to send the senior national team and the ‘’A’’ squad on a tour of New Zealand in November raising concerns that the absence of key players will hit the quality of the domestic tournaments in the country.

A PCB source said that the Board is planning to send around 40 to 45 players to New Zealand from late November.

“Enhanced number of players will be in both squads due to strict COVID-19 regulations and protocols in New Zealand and the players and officials, after reaching there early, have to spend 14 days in quarantine and enter a bio-secure bubble before starting their matches,” the source said.

While the senior team will be involved in a Test, ODI and T20 series against New Zealand, the Pakistan A side has a number of four-day games lined up on the tour.

The senior team had to spend around a month in quarantine and in isolation training camps before playing the Test series in England this summer.

“The problem is that due to the COVID-19 situation, if so many top players are sent to New Zealand, the quality of the domestic competitions will be badly hit,” the source said.

The PCB plans to hold the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Trophy for six provincial teams each in division one and two and a national one-day cup between October and January.

All the matches have been scheduled in Karachi which has multiple Test and first-class venues.

The source said the board was keen to send its A team to New Zealand to give exposure to upcoming performers as they have not competed at the international level for a while now.

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscr...vember/1932432

[MenInG]

QEA quality will be next to nothing if top guys go to NZ.

Might as well merge 1st and 2nd XIs and make one team.

[MMHS]

I don't see any problem here with 6 FC teams & 6 back-up teams. May be, PCB can send a combined (interchanging) squad for both tours and if the A tour starts earlier than Test tour, then Test specialist like Azhar, Asad, Shan, Abid, Yasir, Abbas, Naseem ...... can play some games before joining the National team. If both teams travel at same time, still may be max 29 players is enough and squads can be rotated. Still, there will be enough players left at home for FC cricket and I am sure the quality & competitiveness will be much better than 35 team's FC cricket, with 600+ players.

[Nikhil_cric]

40-45 players? PCB have gone mad!

[shah_1]

Too many players

[ahmedzee]

40-45 players? Misbah needs just good 11 to win. Find that 11 before finding 40-45 to fill the empty seats.

[sweep_shot]

It should be a much tougher tour than England tour. NZ are really good at home.

[Fahdi]

The PCB seems to have heeded my advice on taking the A-team along for tough overseas tours
( here's the thread:
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/sh...-and-Australia )

Overseas A-team games are the best investment the board can make. The players can be tested in foreign conditions at a level that is the closest to the international one. The rest depends on the selection of the players and coaching staff for the A-team.

[TrentDevil]

Article mentions ODI series against NZ but FTP has only Tests & T20Is. Can anyone confirm whether Pak are also playing ODIs?

[zain7077]

Article mentions ODI series against NZ but FTP has only Tests & T20Is. Can anyone confirm whether Pak are also playing ODIs?

2 Tests, 3 T20I’s

[andy0204]

2 Tests, 3 T20I’s

First there were 3 tests now they reduced to 2.

[topspin]

Think it's a typo, what the article should read instead is that Pakistan are going to send 40-45 year old players, as per Misbah's age preference for his squad.

[Markhor]

Don't destroy the QEA Trophy by sending so many players. Send 30-35 max.

Good that we're finally getting an overseas A series.

[Saj]

About time an A tour was organised to a non-Asian destination.

This is an area that PCB really needs to up its game on.

[Shoaibbtt]

About time an A tour was organised to a non-Asian destination.

This is an area that PCB really needs to up its game on.

I fully agree with that, which is why India have been so successful.

[Saj]

I fully agree with that, which is why India have been so successful.

Yes, India, England regularly having tours for the Lions and the same for Australia.

[shah_1]

I wonder how PCB will pull this off

It is going a cost lot for NZ to have another bio secure bubble for an A team, will be hard for them considering the finanical crunch. I guess PCB will bear the cost for the A team

[gazza619]

I feel having a massive group of players creates far too many groups and distorts team unity required on tour. This was the main issue in England. Shouldnt take more than 24 players which should cover for net bowlers.

[Junaids]

It's a great idea, but the execution needs to be much, much better.

If you accept that Iftikhar and Amir are not really under 30, then in England 13 players out of 29 were the wrong side of 30.

I strongly argue that the 13 players that you take in addition to a normal 16 man Test squad must all be under 28, let alone 30. These should be future prospects whom you are incubating by giving them a month or two with the elite players.

So in addition to the 12 players who played Tests in England, my tourists to New Zealand would be:

NORMAL TEST RESERVES
Sami Aslam
Zafar Gohar
Shadab Khan (he'd be in my test 11)
Faheem Ashraf
Ehsan Adil
Hasan Ali

FIVE RESERVE BATSMEN
Imran Butt
Zeeshan Malik
Haider Ali
Abdullah Shafique
Saud Shakeel

1 RESERVE KEEPER
Rohail Naxir

1 RESERVE SPINNER
Sajid Khan

1 RESERVE ALL-ROUNDER
Amad Butt

3 RESERVE QUICKS
Sameen Gul
Haris Rauf
Mohammad Hasnain

That's a 29 man squad, but developing promising guys under 30 instead of giving a paid holiday to Imran Khan, Sohail Khan, Shoaib Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed and Kashif Bhatti.

[angrypathan]

40-45 players? Welcome back Zulfiqar Babar

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

I just don't see Pakistan winning anything on this tour - unless they make fundamental changes to both personnel and midset.

2-0 and 2-0 written all over it.

[saeed5646]

I just don't see Pakistan winning anything on this tour - unless they make fundamental changes to both personnel and midset.

2-0 and 2-0 written all over it.

The way newzealand outclass india in test series we might see inning defeats .They are outstanding at home

[TeymurBlake]

This will be another difficult tour for Misbah's Pakistan team considering, how they have performed in the previous tours, expectation among Pakistan fans will be low (maybe).

[TrentDevil]

I think Misbah meant players aged between 40-45 rather than no. of players on tour to NZ

[naseem]

Good very good.but too much players may be due to COVID.....but India was doing similar thing......versus NZ ...AUS SL... India took their A teams too

[Titan24]

Its good to see A tour happening and considering the circumstances around its understandable that its happening with the national team tour. It makes it easier to have them all in one bio-secure bubble and have simultaneous tours of national and A team. Its a 2 test and 3 T20 match series so I dont think a lot of players will be required to the national team.

Hopefully all the A team games are either against NZ A and against their six regional sides as it can really help the Pak A team players and will give them some really good exposure and experience. Stats of this A tour can very much be considered as a judge like the QAE matches would and they will be counted in players stats as well.

Meanwhile in QAE trophy there will still be quite a few experienced batsmen and bowlers which will help younger guys like Abdullah Shafiq, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Hurraira, Imran Rafiq, Aamir Khan, Mohammad Haris, Akif Javed etc to grow their game further in the premier domestic tournument,

[Shoaibbtt]

Yes, India, England regularly having tours for the Lions and the same for Australia.

I blame our own Pakistan boys and would hope they would show some dang initiative, none of them are playing the English county games which i rate highly over the Pakistan domestic games any day of the week. It would certainly aid them for the conditions in NZ.

[ufcfan]

The way newzealand outclass india in test series we might see inning defeats .They are outstanding at home

Pakistan plays swing and seam well while India doesn't

[shamaan]

Pakistan plays swing and seam well while India doesn't

Pakistan on a tour always collapses atleast 1

[MenInG]

Wasim Khan in an interview has stated that Pakistan will play two Tests and three T20s in New Zealand later this year and Pakistan A will also play a series of matches there.

[gazza619]

Miss the ODIs

[ammar_merry]

Pakistan plays swing and seam well while India doesn't

Dropin Pitches in newzealand are not slow seamers anymore like england or old nz pitches.It swing and it bounces.Thats why Pakistan havs failed miserably in the last decade in NZ.

[The Viper]

Sports Minister moves to approve Black Caps, Silver Ferns inbound tours after 'positive discussions'

Sports Minister Grant Robertson insists New Zealand can successfully host international teams, as he moves to rubber stamp inbound cricket and netball tours by the end of this month.

Coach Dave Rennie’s Wallabies will be the first to test the Government’s quarantine training restrictions when they arrive next week to prepare for two Bledisloe Cup tests against the All Blacks in October, with dates and venues to be confirmed.

It will be the only international rugby at home this year, after Australia was awarded the six-week Rugby Championship starting in November.

New Zealand Cricket has a packed schedule pencilled in, starting against West Indies in the final week of November and also featuring Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia’s men’s and women’s teams, and England women.

Netball New Zealand, too, hopes to host Australia in a Constellation Cup series. Both it and NZC are awaiting Government sign-off before trumpeting their schedules.

Queenstown and one other undisclosed location are the options for the mandatory 14-day quarantine for touring sides, in hotels with training facilities nearby. Training bubbles for cricketers and netballers will be restricted to 15 players after the initial three days of isolation, and a negative test for Covid-19.

New Zealand Rugby negotiated an increase to training bubbles of 25 after six days when it tried to secure the Rugby Championship, which will apply to the Wallabies after they arrive.

Robertson, speaking on Friday, said health and immigration officials were “working actively” with cricket and netball to finalise details for touring sides.

“The discussions have been good and generally speaking they’ve been very comfortable with the various criteria and arrangements that we’ve been working on,” Robertson told Stuff.

“I’m not going to say it’s signed, sealed and delivered but the discussions have been positive, just as they have been with rugby as well.

“We did put a [Rugby Championship] bid in that I still think was credible and strong and those positive discussions we’ve had with rugby have been mirrored with the other sports. We feel we are ready to host international teams.”

Robertson hoped to have those arrangements rubber stamped “in the next few weeks”.

NZC remains tight-lipped on its schedule. “We’re awaiting a decision from the Government and we don’t want to comment before we’ve received that,” it said in a statement.

Domestic cricket’s Plunket Shield is likely to start on October 19, but that schedule wouldn’t be unveiled until the international matches were confirmed.

Chief executive David White said last month the Black Caps would play 37 days at home against four opponents while the White Ferns would host Australia and England in a February tri-series in the window the postponed World Cup was originally scheduled.

Cricket is understood to be comfortable with the 15-player bubble restriction, with cricket training a more individual pursuit and social distancing more easily achieved.

West Indies under captain Jason Holder and coach Phil Simmons completed a full tour of England in a bubble at empty stadiums, as did Pakistan who are scheduled to arrive in New Zealand in December near the end of West Indies’ visit.

Unlike those England tours, in New Zealand all restrictions on visiting sides will lift after 14 days and another negative Covid-19 test.

Black Caps at the Indian Premier League are expecting to return in mid-November and quarantine in Queenstown, and could well be on the same flight as West Indies players before isolating and training for a tour-opening Twenty20 international.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...ve-discussions

[pratiktc]

Should try to add 3 match ODI series too.
Will be good for both sides

[TeymurBlake]

God, would have liked to see some ODI's in this tour man.

[Nasty Naz]

I find it odd ICC is sticking with these shorter tours since every tour at this point involves going there early and quarantining for a bit before matches can begin.

Why not just go back to full tours since time is being wasted on these quarantine. At least with a full team, it's less travelling and fewer quarantine time since teams aren't going back and forth between countries so quickly.

Maybe teams can adjust the calender on their and if they can, I don't get why they haven't yet.

[MenInG]

No venues or schedules have been announced as yet, but NZME understands Bay Oval is in line for the Black Caps/Pakistan test starting December 26th.

[Abdullah719]

New Zealand Cricket has received Government approval to proceed with plans to host international touring sides this summer, in line with official health protocols and beginning with the West Indies and Pakistan’s men’s teams in November, December and January #Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 24, 2020

[MenInG]

The Black Caps’ tour to Australia this summer has been canned, but the Aussies will still make their scheduled visit to New Zealand.

The full domestic and international programme will be announced by New Zealand Cricket next Tuesday, but in speaking to media on Friday about the Government granting approval for upcoming inbound tours, chief executive David White said the series across the ditch had been postponed.

The Black Caps were scheduled to play three ODIs (January 26 in Adelaide, January 29 in Canberra and January 31 in Hobart) and one Twenty20 International (February 2 in Sydney).

But due to the chunk of time taken up by the required quarantine in both countries, and the Black Caps’ other home fixtures on the calendar, the trip across the Tasman has been deemed unfeasible.

“It’s been decided that we won’t be going to Australia this year,” White said.

“That 14-day managed isolation on both sides of the Tasman is a challenge.

“We’ve worked with Cricket Australia on that and we’ll be fulfilling our obligations the following year.”

With no scheduled tours until a trip to play Pakistan next October, it means the Black Caps will go 18 months with no play outside New Zealand, dating back to March when Covid-19 forced the cancellation of their three-match Chappell-Hadlee ODI series after game one.

Australia are still set to play five T20Is in New Zealand around February, but that will come after the Aussies have finished their home commitments, so the quarantine periods aren’t an issue.

Australia won’t host the Black Caps this summer but will still play their T20 games in New Zealand.
The Kiwi men’s international summer will start with a tour by the West Indies (three T20s, two tests), then Pakistan (three T20s, two tests), before Australia’s come, then Bangladesh (three T20s, three ODIs) round out the fixtures.

On Friday the Government gave the green light to those initial West Indies and Pakistan tours, and White said they were “confident” the rest of the tours, which also include visits from the Australian and English women to take on the White Ferns, would also get the go-ahead.

NZC are awaiting Government confirmation in the next week or so on where the touring squads will be based for their 14-day isolation, but White said it was shaping as Christchurch, with teams able to use the Lincoln University high performance centre facilities.

New Zealand’s Indian Premier League players – Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Jimmy Neesham, Lockie Ferguson and Mitchell Santner – will also go through the same quarantine process, ahead of the Windies T20 tour opener.

Australian cricketer Dean Jones, 59, suffered a heart attack in Mumbai, where he was working as a commentator.

White said those players would, handily, have Black Caps strength and conditioning coach Chris Donaldson with them in their bubble, as he is working at the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise.

And another familiar face White is hoping can be of good use in the same bubble is former skipper Brendon McCullum, the KKR coach, who will also be making his way home.

But while the Black Caps are looking for a new batting coach, and the idea of different coaches for different formats has been raised in the past, White ruled out any prospect of McCullum having any extended stay with the team, noting he had signed on as a TV commentator with Spark Sport for the season.

During the quarantine fortnight, players and staff will have to spend the first three days in isolation at the hotel, then will be able to train from day four in phased squad sizes set by the Government, up to a maximum of 15 – a number NZC said cricket touring parties were more than comfortable operating with.

If there were any positive Covid tests during that time, that particular bubble would have its quarantine clock reset.

But unlike the White Ferns on their current tour of Australia, and in other places around the world, after the 14 days the visitors will then be free to move around as normal residents.

White wouldn’t say what sort of squad size the West Indies or Pakistan will be bringing, but that it would be “significantly bigger” than in the past, as players wouldn’t be able to be replaced.

It will be an expensive exercise, with the home country footing the bill, but well worth it, White said.

“It’s a huge boost for us. It’s our financial lifeline. International cricket funds the whole game of cricket in New Zealand, so it’s very very important for us.

“Certainly the benefits outweigh the costs.”

Another spinoff from the bigger touring parties is that there will be a significant ‘A’ programme taking place, with White saying several four-day and T20 games will be played during the Windies and Pakistan tours.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...-inbound-tours

[MenInG]

Wasim Khan "In order to groom our young and upcoming players, the Pakistan Shaheens team will travel to New Zealand along with the national team and will play two four-day matches and five T20 matches" #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 25, 2020

[Junaids]

More details:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/...nt-tour-squads

So Pakistan are allowed 45 people - including the coaches.

And after Misbah stuffed his 29 man squad to England with 13 men in their thirties, Wasim Khan has clipped his wings this time by limiting him to an 18 man Test squad plus an 18 man Shaheens youth squad.

Very smart correction by Wasim Khan.

Wasim Khan sees right through him now.

[Thunderbolt14]

More details:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/...nt-tour-squads

So Pakistan are allowed 45 people - including the coaches.

And after Misbah stuffed his 29 man squad to England with 13 men in their thirties, Wasim Khan has clipped his wings this time by limiting him to an 18 man Test squad plus an 18 man Shaheens youth squad.

Very smart correction by Wasim Khan.

Wasim Khan sees right through him now.

Genius!

[Kroll]

More details:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/...nt-tour-squads

So Pakistan are allowed 45 people - including the coaches.

And after Misbah stuffed his 29 man squad to England with 13 men in their thirties, Wasim Khan has clipped his wings this time by limiting him to an 18 man Test squad plus an 18 man Shaheens youth squad.

Very smart correction by Wasim Khan.

Wasim Khan sees right through him now.

Misbah will try to stuff the 18 man Test squad with mid-thirties players, bums and some leftover spots for kids. You can't one up this Misbah fella that easily.

[hitthestump]

Pakistan plays swing and seam well while India doesn't

Lol come on, apart from Babar we don't bat anything well. Except maybe dead pitches in the UAE where even Shafiq can score runs.

[shamaan]

Wasim Khan "In order to groom our young and upcoming players, the Pakistan Shaheens team will travel to New Zealand along with the national team and will play two four-day matches and five T20 matches" #Cricket #NZvPAK

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 25, 2020

Very good news to take the shaheens to new zeakand

[Junaids]

Misbah will try to stuff the 18 man Test squad with mid-thirties players, bums and some leftover spots for kids. You can't one up this Misbah fella that easily.

I can already see it now:

The Shaheens obviously should contain:

Sami Aslam (25)
Imran Butt (25)
Zeeshan Malik (24)
Saud Shakeel (26)
Abdullah Shafique (20)
Haider Ali (21)
Rohail Nazir (19)
Zafar Gohar (25)
Sajid Khan (26)
Amad Butt (25)
Sameen Gul (21)
Mohammad Hasnain (20)

Instead, I will be waiting for this PCB Press Release.

Pakistan Chief Selector Mr Misbah-ul-Haq has announced his 18 man “Shaheen” squad of developing youngsters to tour New Zealand with the senior team.

The promising youngsters are skippered by the youthful talent of Mohammad Hafeez (40).

Other Shaheens selections include:

Fawad Alam (35)
Sarfraz Ahmed (34)
Yasir Shah (34)
Imran Khan (33)
Sohail Khan (37)
Kashif Bhatti (35)

You have to get up pretty early in the morning to trick Misbah!

[naseem]

Lol come on, apart from Babar we don't bat anything well. Except maybe dead pitches in the UAE where even Shafiq can score runs.

Batting will b a thorn 4 Pak there......hope Babar found some support from San or Azhar or anybody

[shamaan]

Batting will b a thorn 4 Pak there......hope Babar found some support from San or Azhar or anybody

Very tough series even tougher than australia

[Thunderbolt14]

I can already see it now:

The Shaheens obviously should contain:

Sami Aslam (25)
Imran Butt (25)
Zeeshan Malik (24)
Saud Shakeel (26)
Abdullah Shafique (20)
Haider Ali (21)
Rohail Nazir (19)
Zafar Gohar (25)
Sajid Khan (26)
Amad Butt (25)
Sameen Gul (21)
Mohammad Hasnain (20)

Instead, I will be waiting for this PCB Press Release.

Pakistan Chief Selector Mr Misbah-ul-Haq has announced his 18 man “Shaheen” squad of developing youngsters to tour New Zealand with the senior team.

The promising youngsters are skippered by the youthful talent of Mohammad Hafeez (40).

Other Shaheens selections include:

Fawad Alam (35)
Sarfraz Ahmed (34)
Yasir Shah (34)
Imran Khan (33)
Sohail Khan (37)
Kashif Bhatti (35)

You have to get up pretty early in the morning to trick Misbah!

Good news is we have a good chunk of our domestic season before then! Media pressure will be immense and we know that’s the only thing Misbah listens to.

[naseem]

Good news is we have a good chunk of our domestic season before then! Media pressure will be immense and we know that’s the only thing Misbah listens to.

Yes national t20 Psl qaid e azam....... misbah won't have free hand given Imran Khan has already gave him his response on the recent selections.......

[shamaan]

Yes national t20 Psl qaid e azam....... misbah won't have free hand given Imran Khan has already gave him his response on the recent selections.......

Shouldn't be imran making these decisions ! it should be the management in the pcb

[MenInG]

Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval is in line to host a Boxing Day cricket test against Pakistan for the first time with the Black Caps' summer schedule to be revealed today.

The New Zealand Cricket schedule for both the Black Caps and White Ferns will be announced at 11am.

The Black Caps will face Pakistan and the West Indies with the tourists, as well as the New Zealanders returning from the Indian Premier League in November, expected to quarantine in Queenstown or Christchurch.

Last summer the Black Caps played in Australia's traditional Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the previous year New Zealand hosted one for the first time since 2014 against Sri Lanka.

The Basin Reserve, which has previously hosted five Boxing Day tests, looks set to hold a test against the West Indies before Christmas while Christchurch's Hagley Oval and Hamilton's Seddon Park are also candidates to host men in white.

The Black Caps haven't played since the ODI series in Australia was abandoned in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Their last test match was on March 2 when they wrapped up a series win over India.

The White Ferns are currently playing Australia in a Twenty20 series which finishes tomorrow.

Boxing Day cricket schedule since 2006
2006 - T20 v Sri Lanka, Auckland
2007 - ODI v Bangladesh, Auckland
2008 - T20 v West Indies, Auckland
2010 - T20 v Pakistan, Auckland
2012 - T20 v South Africa, Port Elizabeth
2013 - ODI v West Indies, Auckland
2014 - Test v Sri Lanka, Christchurch
2015 - ODI v Sri Lanka, Christchurch
2016 - ODI v Bangladesh, Christchurch
2017 - ODI v West Indies, Christchurch
2018 - Test v Sri Lanka, Christchurch
2019 - Test v Australia, Melbourne

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/new...ectid=12368692

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Waiting desperately for any kind of good cricket to start. This will be so welcome.

[aloo paratha]

Fixtures announced:

1st T20I: December 18th at Eden Park, Auckland
2nd T20I: December 20th at Seddon Park, Hamilton
3rd T20I: December 22nd at McLean Park, Napier

1st Test: December 26-30th at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
2nd Test: January 3-7th at Hagley Oval, Christchurch

[The Viper]

[MenInG]

Pakistan confirms ICC World Test Championship fixtures against New Zealand

• Tests in Mount Maunganui and Christchurch to follow Auckland, Hamilton and Napier T20Is

• Pakistan Shaheens to also visit New Zealand along with the senior side, details will be announced in due course

Lahore, 29 September 2020:

Mount Maunganui and Christchurch will be the venues of the ICC World Test Championship fixtures when Pakistan tours New Zealand later this year.

Mount Maunganui will hold the Boxing Day Test from 26-30 December, before the two teams head down to Christchurch for the second Test to be played from 3-7 January.

In the ICC World Test Championship, fourth-placed New Zealand leads fifth-placed Pakistan by 14 points but New Zealand have played one series less. A maximum of 120 points will be up for grabs (60 points for a win) in the series as both sides aim to narrow the gap with front-runners India (360 points), Australia (296 points) and England (292 points).

The two ICC World Test Championship matches will be played at the back of three T20Is, which will be staged in Auckland (18 December), Hamilton (20 December) and Napier (22 December).

In the ICC T20I Team Rankings, fourth-ranked Pakistan (261 points) leads sixth-ranked New Zealand by 19 points. Australia leads the pack with 275 points, followed by England (271) and India (266).

PCB Director – International Cricket, Zakir Khan: “New Zealand boast some outstanding cricket facilities with supportive and knowledgeable crowds. Pakistan have always enjoyed touring New Zealand and have performed well there, and we look forward to similar performances from our side on this tour.

“New Zealand series will be our penultimate series in the ICC World Test Championship with the last series against South Africa at home following this tour. We remain optimistic and committed to finishing on a high in the championship as it is our endeavour to become one of the top-performing Test playing nations.”

Cricket New Zealand Chief Executive, David White: “It’s always a pleasure to host the Pakistan cricket team in New Zealand and I know there will be a lot of interest in the Test and T20 series.

“Pakistan touring sides have been coming here since 1965 and many New Zealanders have grown up watching the likes of Hanif Mohammad, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and of course, the great Imran Khan in action.

“I’m sure the squads coming out here this summer will be similarly steeped in talent and class and will continue the great legacy that is Pakistan cricket.”

New Zealand have hosted Pakistan in 13 Test series since 1965, with Pakistan enjoying a 7-2 advantage. Pakistan’s last series win was in 2011, but New Zealand came out on top by a comfortable 2-0 margin when the two sides met in 2016. In the 31 Tests between the two sides in New Zealand, Pakistan enjoy a 10-7 advantage.

The Pakistan cricket team will depart on 23 November from Lahore and, as per New Zealand government regulations, undergo a 14-day quarantine period in Lincoln. During this period, they will be restricted to the bio-secure bubble and will not be allowed to take part in any cricket-related activity. The bio-secure bubble will expire following the 14-day quarantine period.

Before their departure for Auckland and as part of standard Covid-19 protocols, the players and player support personnel will undergo mandatory testing in Lahore.

Along with senior side, the PCB will also send Pakistan Shaheens’ squad to New Zealand as part of the players’ development and exposure. The series schedule and total players and player support personnel comprising the two squads will be finalised and announced in due course.

Pakistan v New Zealand (in bracket are start times in Pakistan Standard Times):

18 Dec – 1st T20I, Eden Park, Auckland (1200 PST)
20 Dec – 2nd T20I, Seddon Park, Hamilton (1200 PST)
22 Dec – 3rd T20I, McLean Park, Napier (1200 PST)
26-30 Dec – 1st Test, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui (0400 PST)
3-7 Jan – 2nd Test, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (0400 PST)

[Markhor]

Will be a very tough tour.

[MenInG]

Pakistan A schedule for their tour of New Zealand #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9dtnw3Bewp

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 29, 2020

[Thunderbolt14]

Pakistan A schedule for their tour of New Zealand #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9dtnw3Bewp

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 29, 2020

What’s the difference between NZ A and NZ XI?

[shamaan]

Pakistan A schedule for their tour of New Zealand #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9dtnw3Bewp

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 29, 2020

Very good stuff impressive

[Prince of Pakistan]

Could be the end of Misbah-Azhar combo.

I see Pakistan getting humiliated which won't sit well with the PCB top management considering the fact that we will have lost in tests against every top side since 2018.

[gazza619]

Common team green!!! Need Wasim Akram in the coaching set up.

Need some attacking batsmen to play test cricket for Pakistan. Perfect time to throw Haider Ali in the test team. Is Haris Sohail ready for a comeback?

[shamaan]

Common team green!!! Need Wasim Akram in the coaching set up.

Need some attacking batsmen to play test cricket for Pakistan. Perfect time to throw Haider Ali in the test team. Is Haris Sohail ready for a comeback?

Haris is a average player in tests but better than shafiq.wasim akram is very good option unfortunately dont see it happening thou.

As for attacking batesman it's as hard playing in austrlia haider ali should debut against a weaker team that's just my opinion

[MenInG]

Pakistan’s dates for the tour of New Zealand have been announced with the side playing three Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests from December 18 to January 7. This will be Pakistan’s second overseas trip during the coronavirus pandemic but this tour might be historic for a major reason. New Zealand has managed to control the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and this series might see crowds attend all the games. This would make it the first series to witness full crowds amidst COVID19.

Pakistan will have to enter into a mandatory 14-day quarantine period once they enter New Zealand. The three Twenty20 Internationals will take place on December 18, 20 and 22 and will take place in Auckland, Hamilton and Napier. The two Tests will take place on Boxing Day in Mount Maunganui while the second Test will take place from January 3 to 7 at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. There have been no specific details over the bio-bubble protocols but it is believed that it might not be as strict as the one in England when Pakistan toured there in August.

New Zealand had seen no coronavirus positive cases for over 100 days but a new second wave forced the country to reimpose a strict lockdown. Auckland has seen a big cluster of cases but that has now been brought under control. With just two cases being reported in the last 24 hours, Auckland might see an easing of the restrictions. The rest of New Zealand is not under major restriction, allowing free movement of people but there are border restrictions in place.

https://www.dnaindia.com/cricket/rep...crowds-2846301

[Rayyman]

I would like to see these teams for the A tour:

4 day
Imran Butt, Sami Aslam*, Zeeshan Malik, Haider Ali, Saud Shakeel, Rohail Nazir+, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Ehsan Adil, Musa Khan, Usman Shinwari

T20
Zeeshan Malik, Rizwan Hussain, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel*, Saif Badar, Hussain Talat, Rohail Nazir+, Faheem Ashraf, Zafar Gohar, Musa Khan, Akif Javed

[aloo paratha]

I would like to see these teams for the A tour:

4 day
Imran Butt, Sami Aslam*, Zeeshan Malik, Haider Ali, Saud Shakeel, Rohail Nazir+, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Ehsan Adil, Musa Khan, Usman Shinwari

T20
Zeeshan Malik, Rizwan Hussain, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel*, Saif Badar, Hussain Talat, Rohail Nazir+, Faheem Ashraf, Zafar Gohar, Musa Khan, Akif Javed

Akif Javed is more of a red ball bowler. Should play the 4 day games over Shinwari, who has no future in tests.

[cricketjoshila]

Win the toss in the test guys.

[shamaan]

I would like to see these teams for the A tour:

4 day
Imran Butt, Sami Aslam*, Zeeshan Malik, Haider Ali, Saud Shakeel, Rohail Nazir+, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Ehsan Adil, Musa Khan, Usman Shinwari

T20
Zeeshan Malik, Rizwan Hussain, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel*, Saif Badar, Hussain Talat, Rohail Nazir+, Faheem Ashraf, Zafar Gohar, Musa Khan, Akif Javed

Ganna be hard for sami aslam to get in the team since his latest posts or comments.good picks but I'd have akif in the 4day instead of ehsan adil.

[MenInG]

From PCB release

The PCB has also appointed Rohail Nazir as Shaheens’ captain with Haider Ali as his vice-captain. The two had performed these responsibilities at this year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

Apart from the 35 players involved in pre-series intra-squad matches as part of their preparations, Pakistan men’s national team players not involved in international matches against New Zealand will be available for selection for the Shaheens’ matches against New Zealand A.

This means Test players not involved in the T20Is in the first half of the series against New Zealand will be available for selection for Shaheens, who are expected to be playing four-day matches against New Zealand A during that period. Likewise, when the national side is involved in the ICC World Test Championship matches against New Zealand, national men’s team players not part of those matches will be available for selection for the Shaheens, who are expected to be involved in 20-over games against New Zealand A during those days.

[Thunderbolt14]

Will it work the other way around? Shaheens members like Haider Ali, will he still be playing the T20I series with the main team?

[Arsal_AK]

Will it work the other way around? Shaheens members like Haider Ali, will he still be playing the T20I series with the main team?

I have been meaning to create a thread on this, I'll just post it here.

Pakistan A schedule for their tour of New Zealand #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9dtnw3Bewp

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 29, 2020

This might not be that good a schedule especially considering that it's Misbah at the helm.

If Abdullah, Haider and Rohail are in the T20 squad, they will have to miss atleast one four day match, which would be criminal. They should be playing both.

Now considering they do miss out, Haider and Abdullah atleast (given the new knowledge of Rohail being the captain), how do they intend to make up the Shaheens team?

It's paper thin already even with them. Why do I get the feeling that we might just see the likes of Azhar and Abid get these games?

[Thunderbolt14]

Overall schedule:

10-13 December: NZ A vs Shaheens (four-day)

——————————————————————
17-20 December: NZ A vs Shaheens (four-day)
18-20 December: New Zealand vs Pakistan (2x T20I)
——————————————————————

22 December: New Zealand vs Pakistan (T20I)
23 December: NZ A vs Shaheens (T20)

——————————————————————
26-30 December: New Zealand vs Pakistan (Test)
27,29 December: Northern, Wellington vs Shaheens (2x T20)
——————————————————————

1 January: Canterbury vs Shaheens (T20)


——————————————————————
3-7 December: New Zealand vs Pakistan (Test)
3,5 January: NZ XI vs Shaheens (T20)
——————————————————————

[Thunderbolt14]

Going by this schedule, Haider Ali will only play one four-day match and then play the T20Is during the second four day match. After playing 3 T20I matches, he will either be retained in the Test squad or be released to play 5 or 6 T20 matches for the Shaheens.

[Arsal_AK]

Going by this schedule, Haider Ali will only play one four-day match and then play the T20Is during the second four day match. After playing 3 T20I matches, he will either be retained in the Test squad or be released to play 5 or 6 T20 matches for the Shaheens.

I think he should play both four day matches. The T20s can be missed. He will get plenty of those in the next year alone. PSL qualifiers, SA, Eng, PSL, SA again and this is just till April. He can also play the 5 T20s for Shaheens. Same goes for Abdullah.

[Thunderbolt14]

I think he should play both four day matches. The T20s can be missed. He will get plenty of those in the next year alone. PSL qualifiers, SA, Eng, PSL, SA again and this is just till April. He can also play the 5 T20s for Shaheens. Same goes for Abdullah.

In principle I agree, but it seems likely that they will make him play the 2 T20Is instead of the second four day match so they begin settling the lineup. I feel Haider is already one of the most important components in the team especially with Fakhar out of form.

[Saj]

Pakistan today announced a 35-player squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand from which the national men’s and Shaheens squads will be selected. The players, along with 20-member players support personnel, will depart for Lincoln on 23 November where they will spend the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

While the Shaheens schedule is yet to be confirmed by New Zealand Cricket, Pakistan men’s national team will play three T20Is on 18, 20 and 22 December, and the ICC World Test Championship fixtures will be held in Mount Maunganui and Christchurch on 26-30 December and 3-7 January, respectively.

Apart from the 35 players involved in pre-series intra-squad matches as part of their preparations, Pakistan men’s national team players not involved in international matches against New Zealand will be available for selection for the Shaheens’ matches against New Zealand A.

This means Test players not involved in the T20Is in the first half of the series against New Zealand will be available for selection for Shaheens, who are expected to be playing four-day matches against New Zealand A during that period. Likewise, when the national side is involved in the ICC World Test Championship matches against New Zealand, national men’s team players not part of those matches will be available for selection for the Shaheens, who are expected to be involved in 20-over games against New Zealand A during those days.

While selecting the squads, chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq consulted the six Cricket Association head coaches, Shaheens head coach Ijaz Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq, head of international player development.

Babar Azam has been confirmed Pakistan captain in all formats. His vice-captain in Tests will be Mohammad Rizwan, while Shadab will be the vice-captain in T20Is.

The PCB has also appointed Rohail Nazir as Shaheens’ captain with Haider Ali as his vice-captain. The two had performed these responsibilities at this year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

[YousafTheBeast]

These test matches are going to be so one sided.

I just look at our bowling attack, and think how are we going to bowl them out?

We’ll end up getting bowled out for 150 and then watch NZ bat for 3 days.

[tyron_woodley]

Win the toss. Match will change.

Anyway terrible schedule for Pakistan.

Where is the first class prep for the test?

[shamaan]

I think he should play both four day matches. The T20s can be missed. He will get plenty of those in the next year alone. PSL qualifiers, SA, Eng, PSL, SA again and this is just till April. He can also play the 5 T20s for Shaheens. Same goes for Abdullah.

Agree I would play him in the four day matches and the 5 shaheens t20 games

[shamaan]

In principle I agree, but it seems likely that they will make him play the 2 T20Is instead of the second four day match so they begin settling the lineup. I feel Haider is already one of the most important components in the team especially with Fakhar out of form.

I think for his development he should play the 4 day games and the 5 shaheen matches