Pakistan Playing 11 vs New Zealand: Visitors Make Three Changes To Their Team For PAK vs NZ 3rd T20I

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Pakistan has announced their team to face New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series, scheduled to take place at the University Oval in Dunedin on Wednesday (January 17).

The visitors, who trail the series 0-2 following back-to-back losses, have made three changes to their playing 11 from the opening two defeats. All three changes come in the bowling department.

Pakistan named an unchanged team for the second T20I, which they lost by 21 runs at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday (January 14). In the series opener, they suffered a 46-run loss to the Blackcaps at the Eden Park in Auckland on January 12.

With the hope to keep the series alive, Pakistan has now brought in Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Mohammad Nawaz in an almost like-for-like change for the third T20I. Here is a look at Pakistan playing 11 for the third T20I:

PAK 11 vs NZ for 3rd T20I

Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Azam Khan (wicketkeeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan.

Pacer Zaman Khan, who has made six T20I appearances so far, comes in as a replacement for Abbas Afridi. Zaman has claimed four wickets at an economy rate of 6.66 in his 6 T20I matches.

Meanwhile, Nawaz replaces Usama Mir as the spinner and also fills in the all-rounder slot vacated by Aamer Jamal, who has been replaced by Wasim Jnr in the playing 11 for the 3rd T20I. Nawaz and Wasim Jnr have some experience under their belt.

Nawaz has scored 427 runs and claimed 47 wickets in his 57 T20I appearances for Pakistan, while Wasim Jnr has claimed 35 wickets at an economy rate of 8.12 in 27 T20I matches.

In the two T20Is so far, Abbas Afridi had claimed figures of 3 for 38 and 2 for 43. Jamal was rather expensive with figures of 0 for 55 and 1 for 42. Mir also conceded plenty with figures of 0 for 51 followed by a performance of 1 for 39.

Babar and Fakhar have been the lone performers with the bat so far in the series with the former scoring back-to-back two fifties and the latter one in the second T20I.

The hosts will be without the services of skipper Kane Williamson, who has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Williamson will be replaced by opening batter Will Young in the New Zealand squad, while Mitchell Santner will lead the side.