New Zealand vs Pakistan 2025: Salman Agha highlights opportunities for youngsters ahead of T20I series

Touring side Pakistan will clash with New Zealand in their upcoming new white-ball assignments after their disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy. The Green Shirts will have a chance to prove themselves in the upcoming five-match T20I series starting on Sunday, March 16. It will be followed by a three-match ODI series as well. This will also be their chance to beat the Blackcaps at home.

There will also be some young players who will have a chance to make their debut in the upcoming series. Pakistan's new T20I skipper, Salman Ali Agha, recently talked about the young players in the squad and has opened up about the opportunities they will get in international cricket going forward. The team made these changes following injuries to star batters Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, who will miss out on the series. This will be a great opportunity for young players Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali who have put up great performances in domestic cricket.

“We have some young players in the side, and it is an opportunity for them to showcase their talent at the international level after performing well in domestic cricket," Agha said during the pre-match press conference before the start of the T20I series.

Also Read: 'They have personal agendas' - Ex-PCB chief Ehsan Mani disregards Shahid Afridi's critical remarks after Pakistan's Champions Trophy debacle

Babar and Rizwan dropped, Shadab Khan becomes vice-captain

One of the biggest changes in the Pakistan squad was dropping the likes of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who are among Pakistan’s biggest stars right now. It will be rare not to see the two prolific batters in the series against one of the strongest and most unpredictable sides in international cricket.

Another big change is the inclusion of spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan, who has been out of the squad for a long time. Not only that, the leg-spinner known for his guile and variation, was also named vice-captain for the series. It will be interesting to see if these changes bring about any improvements in the team.