NZ vs PAK, 2020-21: 2-match Test series – Statistical Preview

After a T20I series win, New Zealand are set to face Pakistan in a 2-match Test series starting on the Boxing Day. The Kane Williamson-led side will be aiming to boost their position in the World Test Championship and move closer to the No.1 Test ranking. Mohammad Rizwan, the star of the 3rd T20I, will now be leading the Pakistan Test team in the absence of Babar Azam. The newly announced all-format captain of Pakistan was ruled out of the T20I series due to an injury and the same has kept him away from the Test series opener.

Here are all the key stats and numbers ahead of the 2-match Test series between New Zealand and Pakistan:

0/20 – New Zealand hasn’t lost any of their previous 20 Test matches at home where they batted second. New Zealand also has not lost any of their last 17 home Tests where they chose to bowl first.

4* – New Zealand has won each of their last four Test matches; a streak that involves 2-0 win against India and a 2-0 victory against West Indies as well at home this year. The only instance of New Zealand winning more than four Tests in succession came between 2005 and 2006 where they won five in a row.

If New Zealand wins the Boxing Day Test match, it will be only the 2nd instance of them winning as many as five Test matches in a calendar year. They did win five across the nine Test matches which they played in 2014.

9* – Pakistan has not won any of their last nine Test matches played outside Asia. Their last Test victory while playing outside Asia came in the 2018 tour of England at the Lord’s. Pakistan lost seven successive Tests played outside Pakistan/UAE before the drawn game in Southampton earlier this year.

15 – New Zealand will start the Test series against Pakistan on the back of an unbeaten 15-match streak in Test cricket at home. The Blackcaps have also won each of their last seven Test series played at home.

44-0 – Yasir Shah has bagged a total of 44 wickets in Test cricket with help of four 5-wicket hauls against New Zealand; all of them across six matches hosted by UAE. Yasir failed to pick a wicket in the only Test he played against the Kiwis in New Zealand.

296 – Tim Southee now has picked as many as 296 wickets in his 75-match Test career. He needs four more wickets to become only the 3rd player to bag 300 wickets in Test cricket for New Zealand.

973 – Martin Crowe’s 973 runs are the most for New Zealand in Test cricket against Pakistan. Ross Taylor (905) and Kane Williamson (854) are in line to become the first set of New Zealand players to reach 1000 Test runs against Pakistan in the coming series.