Tim Southee and Devon Conway celebrate the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan. Photo / Photosport
The Black Caps kick off their 2024 international season this evening in a Twenty20 against Pakistan at Eden Park, but will be without Mitchell Santner after the bowling all-rounder tested positive for Covid-19.
He will continue to be monitored over the coming days and will travel solo home to Hamilton, the Black Caps confirmed.
Tonight’s T20 will be their first outing since defeating Bangladesh in the last T20 of the series by 17 runs (DLS method) at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on December 31.
The game begins a steady diet of T20 cricket that culminates with the World Cup in June, when New Zealand will initially be based in the West Indies and contesting a pool featuring the hosts, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Uganda, who booked their ticket by beating Zimbabwe.
Tonight’s opponents are ones with whom the Black Caps have great familiarity. Pakistan eased to a seven-wicket win when the sides met in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Sydney, following that victory with a drawn series in the subcontinent.
It will be an imposing challenge for New Zealand’s bowlers in particular, with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam ranked among the world’s top five batters and likely salivating at the sight of those straight boundaries.
Here’s all you need to know about the series.
The match will be broadcast free-to-air on TV1 from 6.55pm, alternatively, follow the Herald live blog or listen to ball-by-ball commentary of every Black Caps match this summer live and free on iHeart Radio with The Alternative Commentary Collective.
The series sees the return of captain Kane Williamson who was rested for the T20 series against Bangladesh.
Paceman Matt Henry has also been called into the squad, two months after being ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup in India with a hamstring injury.
Kyle Jamieson wasn’t considered for the T20I series as he continues to rehabilitate a hamstring injury, while Trent Boult (UAE) and Jimmy Neesham (South Africa) were unavailable due to overseas T20 league commitments. Michael Bracewell was also not considered for selection as he continues his recovery from an achilles injury.
Tim Southee is three scalps away from becoming the first bowler to take 150 wickets in T20 internationals and expressed some ambivalence about Eden Park, a hot day better spent near the beach than the misshapen concrete jungle in Kingsland.
“We’re very fortunate to have some beautiful cricket grounds around the country — purpose-built cricket grounds — and it’s always nice to see those grassy banks full.
“This being our biggest sporting stadium, when you play in front of a packed Eden Park it’s pretty special. We’ve had some amazing games here across all three formats. It’s always nice when you have a packed house here.”
Meanwhile, former Black Cap Andre Adams has joined the support staff for the series. Adams will work as bowling coach as part of head coach Gary Stead’s coaching group, which also features regular batting coach Luke Ronchi. The decision follows Adams’ work as pace bowling coach for the White Ferns, during the side’s 2023 tour to South Africa.
The match is today set to start at 7.10pm and is the first of five T20′s against Pakistan. The teams meet again on Sunday at Seddon Park in Hamilton and at University Oval in Dunedin on January 17 before playing the final two at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on January 19 and 21.
Tickets to tonight’s match at Eden Park, as well as the other locations, can be purchased from the New Zealand Cricket website.
New Zealand must for the first time overcome the odds in the final innings against India.