Pakistan retain squad for New Zealand series

LAHORE: Pakistan has retained the same squad for the T20 series against New Zealand which whitewashed the Aussies in the three-match series in UAE.

Pakistan beat Australia by 33 runs in the third Twenty20 international on Sunday to clinch the series 3-0 -- their first whitewash against Australia in a limited over series -- prompting selectors not to make any changes. 

Pakistan are going to play against New Zealand from October 31.

Squad: Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Waseem, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf

There will be three Test matches, three ODIs and three T20Is, to be played from October 31 to December 7 in the United Arab Emirates.

The first of the three T20I matches will be played at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. It will be followed by second and third T20Is at Dubai on November 2 and 4, respectively.

Later, three One-day Internationals will be played on Nov 7, 9 and 11 at Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Then, the Test series of three matches will be played from Nov 16.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have added second specialist spinner to their Twenty20 squad, with left-armer Ajaz Patel drafted in from New Zealand A side.

New Zealand's new coach Gary Stead said Patel was on form and would offer the necessary balance to the side considering the conditions in the UAE.

"It's no secret that spin is crucial in this part of the world and with the wickets on the slower side, we've taken the option of a second spinner to bring our squad up to 14-players," said Stead.

New Zealand squad (updated): Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor