Match Details
The 2nd T20 match of Pakistan A tour of New Zealand, between Wellington Firebirds & Pakistan A will take place at the Basin Reserve, Wellington on 29th December, Tuesday.
The match is scheduled to start at 7:10 AM IST.
Preview
The Wellington Firebirds have a strong squad at hand but still they cannot take Pakistan A lightly. Pak-A lost their previous game against Northern Kings so they will be struggling with their low confidence levels. However, if their openers can continue the kind of starts they have been giving to them, Pakistan A might have a chance to take this one home.
Weather Report
The temperature will hover around the 16 degrees mark under humid conditions with absolutely no chances of rain. Expect some wind around since it’s a New Zealand ground with typical Kiwi conditions.
Pitch Condition/Report
The pitch at the Basin Reserve will be a batting track with some assistance in it for the pacers and wrist spinners. Win toss and bat first would be the Captain’s go-to choice.
Average first innings score
162 (last 5 matches)
Record of teams chasing:
Won- 1 Lost-1 (2 T20Is played here)
Injury and Availability News:
(Will be added when there is an update)
WF vs PAK-A Probable Playing XIs:
Wellington Firebirds
Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Troy Johnson, Michael Bracewell, Jimmy Neesham, Jamie Gibson, Logan van Beek, Peter Younghusband, Hamish Bennett, Michael Snedden.
Pakistan-A
Rohail Nazir, Zeeshan Malik, Haider Ali, Abdullah Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Amad Butt, Harris Rauf, Wahab Riaz, Muhammad Hasnain, Musa Khan, Usman Qadir.
Top Picks:
Haider Ali: The last time when Pakistan A ended up in a losing cause, Haider Ali gave the team the start they required and Pakistan A will bank upon him yet again to give them some quickfire runs.
Zeeshan Malik: Another opener for Pakistan-A who played second fiddle to Ali in the previous game was Malik. His quickfire 51 off 33 would bring him into this game oozing out of confidence.
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Devon Conway: The star Kiwi batsman has been in top-notch form in the international circuit and would love to bring his T20 game to the party in style. Expect a big knock from him.
James Neesham: The all-rounder had a very decent series against West Indies, where he led the team to a victory in the first game. He is an all-rounder and can earn a lot of points.
Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:
Captain Options – Devon Conway, Haider Ali
Vice-Captain Options – James Neesham, Zeeshan Malik
Suggested Playing XI No.1 for Fantasy Cricket:
Keeper – Tom Blundell, Rohail Nazir
Batters – Haider Ali, Devon Conway (C), Michael Bracewell, Zeeshan Malik (VC)
All-Rounders – James Neesham, Amad Butt
Bowlers – Hamish Bennett, Haris Rauf, Usman Qadir
Suggested Playing XI No.2 for Fantasy Cricket:
Keeper – Tom Blundell
Batters – Haider Ali (C), Devon Conway, Michael Bracewell, Zeeshan Malik, Andrew Fletcher
All-Rounders – James Neesham (VC), Amad Butt
Bowlers – Hamish Bennett, Haris Rauf, Usman Qadir
Expert Advice:
If you’re taking Zeeshan and Haider Ali in your team, choose lesser strike bowlers from Wellington since both openers can take on these bowlers and fire in the powerplay.
Probable Winners:
Wellington Firebirds are expected to win this match.
