Pakistan opt to bat first after winning toss in first T20I match against New Zealand

Lahore: Pakistan on Friday decided to bat first after winning the toss in the first T20I against New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore tonight.

 Babar Azam returned as captain of Pakistan, along with most of the team's star players who were rested for the Afghanistan series.

The hosts made several changes from the team that lost 2-1 to Afghanistan in Sharjah, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan returning to the top of the order, while Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi joined the lineup. Ihsanullah did not make it to the playing XI.

🚨 T O S S A L E R T 🚨

Pakistan win the toss and elect to bat first 🏏

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New Zealand, on the other hand, had a depleted side, with captain Tom Latham and Chad Bowes opening the batting. The lineup was similar to the one that took on Sri Lanka in New Zealand earlier this month, with Ben Lister, Matt Henry, and Adam Milne as pace bowlers, and Rachin Ravindra and Ish Sodhi also in the team.

The T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand comprises of five matches, with the first three being held in Lahore and the last two in Rawalpindi.

Squads: 

Pakistan: Babar Azam as captain, Mohammad Rizwan as wicketkeeper, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Zaman Khan.

New Zealand: Tom Latham as captain and wicketkeeper, Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, and Ben Lister.