The start to Pakistan’s first Twenty20 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi, as well as fast bowler Mohammad Amir’s return to international cricket after almost four years of retirement, have both been delayed due to rain.
The match was to start at 7:30pm but after New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first, heavens opened up in the garrison city.
The rain means the fans will have to wait some more to see Amir back in the green shirt of Pakistan at international level.
The 32-year-old pacer retired in December 2020 after being dropped from the side but changed his mind last month and decided to restart his career, which had also been stalled by a match-fixing ban in 2010.
Pakistan have handed T20I debuts to batter Usman Khan, spinner Abrar Ahmed and allrounder Muhammad Irfan Khan to gauge their bench strength ahead of June’s World Cup in the United States and the West Indies.
New Zealand, missing nine players due to the Indian Premier League, handed a T20I debut to batter Tim Robinson.
The remaining matches are in Rawalpindi on April 20 and 21 and in Lahore on April 25 and 27.
Teams
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (captain), Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK) and Aleem Dar (PAK) Tv umpire: Faisal Afridi (PAK) Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)