NZ v PAK 2020: Pakistan cricket team announce squad for 1st T20I

Having emerged victorious in their last four T20I matches, the Pakistan cricket team is aiming to continue their magnificent form in the game's shortest format.

The team management has declared a 15-man squad for the first T20I match of their upcoming series against New Zealand.

Pakistan will play under all-rounder Shadab Khan's leadership in Auckland. Former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed has returned to the T20I squad, while regular captain Babar Azam will miss the series because of an injury.

Pakistan cricket team's squad for the 1st T20I vs. NZ: Shadab Khan (c), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Wahab Riaz

Can the Pakistan cricket team complete a hat-trick of T20I wins against New Zealand in Auckland?

The Pakistan cricket team has performed brilliantly in the T20I format. The Men in Green defeated the Kiwis 2-1 in the previous T20I series played in New Zealand.

In that series, they trounced the hosts by 48 runs in Auckland. Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, and Faheem Ashraf were the architects of the Pakistan cricket team's previous victory at Eden Park.

Notably, only Ashraf is present in the squad for the upcoming T20I.

Iftikhar Ahmed looked in fantastic touch during the intra-squad warm-up match. The 30-year-old scored a century for his team and will have the onus of scoring big for the Pakistan cricket team in the first T20I.

From the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi has done an excellent job in T20 cricket of late.

Lockie Ferguson scalped five wickets for New Zealand in their previous T20I at Eden Park, and Afridi will try and do the same for his side against the hosts on Friday evening.