New Zealand team arrives in Islamabad for T20 series

The New Zealand cricket team has arrived in Islamabad in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Kiwi team will play T20I series against Pakistan, commencing on April 18.

The visitors led by Michael Bracewell play a five-match series. Of them, Rawalpindi will host three games while the rest of the two matches will be played in Lahore.

The T20 series will culminate on April 27.

Yesterday, the Pakistan Cricket Board had announced match officials for the Pakistan versus New Zealand five-match T20I series, which is set to be played from 18 April to 27 April in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Andy Pycroft, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, will lead the playing control team that includes five umpires, namely Ahsan Raza (elite panelist), Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz (all from the ICC’s international panel), who will share umpiring responsibilities.

Pycroft, a former Zimbabwe Test batter, has to date refereed in 144 T20Is. When he will stand in the second T20I on 20 April, he will move ahead of Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle in second place in the list of match referees to officiate in most T20Is. The list is headed by New Zealand’s Jeff Crowe (175).

Match fixtures

18 April – 1st T20I, Rawalpindi

20 April – 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi

21 April – 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi

25 April – 4th T20I, Lahore

27 April – 5th T20I, Lahore