Focus on Babar as hosts look to tame NZ

KARACHI: The upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand which begins in Lahore later this week isn’t a major home assignment for Pakistan. But recent speculations surrounding Babar Azam means that it is going to be an important assignment for the Pakistan captain.

Babar is by far Pakistan’s most prolific batsman but his role as Pakistan’s all-format captain has come under the scanner. Recently Najam Sethi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, tried to play down the speculations but fell short of fully supporting Babar.

Babar must be fully aware that he will need to make sure his team give its best and wins both in the ODI and T20 I matches against the visiting New Zealand team. He will have a full-strength team for the series including comeback pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. So unlike the series against Afghanistan which Pakistan lost after fielding a second string team, Babar will have no excises.

Our Lahore correspondent adds: Tom Latham-led New Zealand cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to play five ODIs and as many T20Is. The team landed at Lahore airport and was escorted to the hotel with high security measures in place. They will commence practice from Thursday (tomorrow).

The T20I matches will take place in Lahore (April 14, 15, 17) and Rawalpindi (April 20, 24) and the ODIs will be held in Rawalpindi (April 27, 29) and Karachi (May 3, 5, 7). After reaching Pakistan, NZ all-rounder Daryl Mitchell said that they are very excited about playing T20 and ODI series in Pakistan.

“There are young players in the team who have not played in these conditions before,” he said. Terming the Pakistan tour a “challenging” one, the player said that Pakistan has a world-class team.

“Conditions are quite different here from New Zealand and young players will gain experience,” he said. “The series is quite long. We will try to play good cricket.” New Zealand ODIs squad: Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young.

New Zealand T20Issquad: Tom Latham (c, wk), Chad Bowes, Mark Chapman, Dane Cleaver, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Adam Milne, Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young.