Pakistan’s opening batter Mohammad Rizwan will be playing in the third T20 International (T20) against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium tonight. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Rizwan has been deemed fit by the team’s medical panel, despite concerns about his persistent back pain caused by an injury sustained during the second T20I.
Rizwan had continued playing in the second T20I until the seventh over of New Zealand’s run-chase, despite sustaining a back injury while playing a shot. It was expected that Mohammad Haris would replace him, but the medical panel has deemed him fit for tonight’s match.
Pakistan is currently leading the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with two wins, and they will be looking to notch their third successive win to take an unassailable 3-0 lead. The Kiwis have shown promise with a better performance in the second game, but they need to make a comeback to reduce the lead taken by Pakistan.
New Zealand is 0-2 down in the five-match series and has an uphill task to script a comeback in the remaining three games. They still have a chance to save this series, but they need to win all the remaining three T20 matches. In both matches, the Black Caps failed to stop Pakistan from scoring runs, with Matt Henry being the only successful bowler from their side with a hat-trick in the opening match and two wickets in the second.
Pakistan will be looking to continue their dominance over New Zealand and secure the series win tonight. The inclusion of Rizwan will bolster their batting lineup and provide them with stability at the top of the order. On the other hand, New Zealand will need to regroup and come up with a plan to counter Pakistan’s batting and bowling attack.
In conclusion, the third T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand promises to be an exciting encounter with both teams looking to make an impact. Pakistan will be aiming for a series win, while New Zealand will be looking to keep their hopes alive in the series.
