New Zealand vs Pakistan: T20I Records and Stats at Eden Park, Auckland

New Zealand (NZ) will host Pakistan (PAK) for a five-match T20I Series starting on the 12^th of January 2024 at Eden Park in Auckland. Both teams start to prepare for the T20 World Cup to be held in the USA and West Indies mid-way this year.

New Zealand enters the contest on the back of a T20 series draw against Bangladesh at home while they did manage to beat them in the ODIs by a margin of 2-1. The dressing room of the Black Caps will be happy to welcome their regular skipper Kane Williamson after injury while their specialist bowler Matt Henry is set to return after recovering from injury.

New Zealand has announced their full-strength squad for the series and will be looking to start the preparation on a positive note with the win.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will head into the series on the back of a clean sweep on the hands of Australia in Tests. Though they lost the series, Pakistan would be happy to get the find of the series in the form of Aamer Jamal who showcased his all-round abilities with both bat and ball.

Jamal aggregated 143 runs with the bat at an average of around 30 while he has picked up 18 wickets at an average of 20.44; his form has earned him a chance in the white–ball's shortest format. They will have a new captain for this format in the form of Shaheen Afridi. New-look Pakistan too would hope to start the series on a positive note.

Click here: NZ vs PAK Live Score, 1st T20I Match

NZ vs PAK Head-to-Head Records in T20I

In as many as 34 games played between the two teams, Pakistan have emerged victorious on 20 occasions whereas New Zealand have been on the winning side 13 times. One game ended in no result.

T20I Records and Stats at Eden Park, Auckland

In the 25 games played at this venue, pacers have taken 234 wickets at an average of 24.53 while the spinners have claimed 80 wickets at an average of 25.92. Teams batting first have won 11 games while teams chasing have won 14 games. The average score batting first here is 170.

X-Factor for New Zealand vs Pakistan:

New Zealand: Kane Williamson

Williamson has scored 584 runs in 19 innings against the men in green at an average of 36.50, striking at 116.33. He has amassed five half-centuries against them and would look to carry his form against the opposition.

Pakistan: Babar Azam

In as many as 15 innings played, Babar has aggregated 542 runs at an average of over 45 while striking at 126.93; he has scored four half-centuries and a century. Though Babar is not playing to his full potential, this series will embark on his comeback against the opposition that he likes the most.

New Zealand vs Pakistan Predicted Playing XI:

New Zealand:

Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi.

Pakistan:

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamer Jamal, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr

Click here: NZ vs PAK 2024 Batting and Bowling Stats