How Pakistan can become No. 1 T20I team after New Zealand series

Ahead of the series between New Zealand and Pakistan, the latter will now be eyeing to reclaim their top spot in the shortest format. For Pakistan to have a shot at that, they will have to beat the Blackcaps by 2-1 or better or otherwise draw the three-match series that will commence on January 22.

Earlier, the Black Caps returned to the top of the ICC T20I Team Rankings after winning the three-match series against the Windies by 2-0. New Zealand had entered the series against the Windies in third place behind Pakistan (124 points) and India (121 points) on 120 points, and are currently positioned on 126 points.

Pakistan 2nd with 124 points

Meanwhile, Pakistan is placed second with 124 points. Sarfraz Khan‘s XI achieved the top spot in the ranking when India defeated New Zealand in T20I series back in November last year.

However, it will not be easy for Pakistan as New Zealand appeared to be in good form against West Indies. They swept the T20I series 3-0 with Colin Munro becoming the first batsman to make three centuries in T20 internationals today. New Zealand battered the Windies by 119 runs in their final match of the tour at Mount Maunganui. The left-handed opener followed up his two fifties from the previous games with a 53-ball 104.

Before the T20I series, Pakistan will a play five-match ODI series against New Zealand starting next week, on January 6. The two teams will play their first two ODIs in Wellington and Nelson before travelling to Dunedin, Hamilton and Wellington for the remaining matches of the series.

The visitors decimated the New Zealand XI by 121 runs in the warm-up match at Saxton Oval in Nelson, earlier today. Sent into bat by the NZ XI, Pakistani openers Fakhar Zaman and Azhar Ali provided a solid start by making 106 and 104 runs respectively. Chasing the colossal target of 342, New Zealand XI managed to score 221 runs off 47.1 overs. Pakistani bowler Shadab Khan bagged four wickets, while Faheem Ashraf got two wickets.

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