NZ vs PAK: Daryl Mitchell opts out of fifth T20I, Rachin Ravindra called in

Star New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell has opted out of the fifth T20I against Pakistan to manage his workload. Youngster Rachin Ravindra has been named as a replacement and is likely to feature in the playing XI, especially with multiple notable cricketers missing at the moment. Regular skipper Kane Williamson suffered a hamstring injury in the first T20I and was ruled out of the series, while Devon Conway tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the fourth match. Now with Mitchell backing out, New Zealand’s batting unit looks dull.

However, the Kiwis won’t bother much as they are leading 4-0 in the series. Mitchell played a remarkable knock of 72* runs off 44 deliveries to help New Zealand win the fourth T20I by seven wickets and following which, the cricketer decided to take a break. He is expected to play four Test matches, two each against South Africa and Australia and a five-match T20I series against the Pat Cummins-led side before flying to India for the IPL. Keeping that in mind, Mitchell has decided to opt out of the final T20I.

“Daryl is an important player for us across all three formats and ensuring he’s in the best place to perform in international cricket is vital. Rachin is coming off a period of rest himself and will bring a valuable skill set to the group in this final match as he continues his return to cricket,” head coach Gary Stead said in an official statement released by New Zealand Cricket.

Meanwhile, despite so many key figures missing out, the Kiwis had no problem in dealing with Pakistan in the ongoing T20I series. The likes of Finn Allen and Mitchell have stepped up in crunch situations while Tim Southee and Adam Milne have been impressive with the ball. Ahead of the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup, which is slated to begin on June 1, the side has shown its quality and looks ready to challenge for the title.