DUNEDIN, New Zealand — In an eventful day for cricket at the University Oval, New Zealand opted to bowl first after winning a delayed toss against Pakistan in the second Twenty20 international. The match, influenced by external conditions, was pared down to 15 overs per side due to prior disruptions on the field.
The toss was initially slated for 1:45 p.m. local time but was postponed by nearly an hour and a half as the ground staff diligently worked to address damp spots on the pitch. New Zealand’s captain, Michael Bracewell, was enthused about bowling first as the pitch appeared quite fresh, having been under cover.
In terms of team adjustments, New Zealand introduced fast bowler Ben Sears into the lineup, replacing Kyle Jamieson, who excelled with a 3-8 haul in the first match, which New Zealand convincingly won by nine wickets. Additionally, Jimmy Neesham was brought in for Tim Robinson. Pakistan made a solitary change, bringing in Haris Rauf to replace Abrar Ahmed.
Despite losing the toss, Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha remained confident, expressing readiness for New Zealand’s bouncy conditions. “When you come to New Zealand you know there will be extra bounce,” he remarked. “We have prepared for that and we are ready.”
Both teams geared up for the encounter with the following lineups:
New Zealand’s squad featured Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Hay, Michael Bracewell (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears, and Jacob Duffy.
Pakistan’s lineup included Mohammad Haris, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammed Ali.
