Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is concerned about the lack of balance in the visiting New Zealand team ahead of Friday’s commencement of the T20I series against Pakistan. Several New Zealand cricketers have been ruled out of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) due to health concerns. In a recent conversation, Razzaq stated that a cricketer’s first priority should be the national team and questioned how they obtained No-Objection Certificates (NOC).
“New Zealand ought to have sent a complete party. Some athletes have been invited to the IPL, while others are ineligible. The series does not attract much interest. During the Test series, they fielded a complete squad and there were several thrilling contests. It appears that they simply dispatched a team based on the circumstances. I have no clue how the athletes on the national team obtain a NOC. What the criteria are for NOCs because the national team should always take precedence, Razzaq told Geo News.
Pakistan and New Zealand will compete in a five-match Twenty20 International series.
The New Zealand tour of Pakistan will feature five Twenty20 Internationals and the same number of One-Day Internationals. The tour will take place during the height of Indian Premier League (IPL) fervor.
Afridi will compete for the first time since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final against England in November 2022.
Even though he returned to international cricket after a four-month absence, Shaheen Afridi has been busy in Pakistan accumulating trophies and setting records. The elite pacer captained Lahore Qalandars to victory in the most recent Pakistan Super League, making him the first captain to win the PSL twice
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf, who missed the Afghanistan T20I series in Sharjah, are also back in the squad. Pakistan will be delighted to see their star T20I players return after Afghanistan’s 2-1 victory left them severely missed.