RAWALPINDI: Cricket fans in Rawalpindi hope the T20 International series between Pakistan and New Zealand is not dampened by inclement weather on Thursday when both the teams enter the ground for the fourth match of the five-game series.

After the first three games in Lahore, the action shifts to Rawalpindi for the last two T20s.

Two spells of rain on Wednesday greeted both the squads who could not hold scheduled training sessions here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium and returned to the hotel.

The forecast for Thursday is not bright either as the Pakistan Met­eorological Department has predicted the weather to remain partially cloudy with chances of rain.

“Rain-wind/thunderstorm is exp­­­ected in upper Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Balt­istan, Islamabad [Pindi] and upper Punjab,” read a statement of the Met Office.

According to an official of the Met Office, there are 50 per cent chances of rain during the time bracket for today’s match.

The Babar Azam-led Pakistan are leading the ongoing series 2-1 and look forward to take an unassailable lead against an under-strength New Zealand squad through some powerful display.

The hosts came out with flying colours in the first two high-scoring games of the series at the Gaddafi Stadium where they recorded facile wins by 88 and 38 runs, respectively.

Naturally, many expected Babar and his men to wrap up the series in the third outing last Monday.

However, New Zealand had other ideas. And though after winning their first toss of the series, they only managed to post 163-5, high-flying Pakistan wilted in pursuit losing the game by four runs despite Iftikhar Ahmed’s late heroics with the willow.

The rejuvenated tourists, despite missing several first-choice T20 players including regular captain Kane William­son, Glenn Phillips, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Tim Sou­thee, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Siefert, Mitchell Santner and Mic­hael Bracewell, made a stunning comeback to keep the series alive.

While a strong Pakistan bowling comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim have kept New Zealand batting under check so far, their batting department badly faltered in the third game where they were chasing for the first time in the series.

Though Babar’s masterclass (101 not out off 58) and Mohammad Rizwan’s half-century in the second T20 signified the full-strength home team can safely handle this largely under-strength New Zealand bowling, chasing totals in excess of 160 may haunt Pakistan particularly on any surface with extra bounce or movement.

ARTHUR HOLDS SESSION WITH PAKISTAN SQUAD

Meanwhile, former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur, who reached Islamabad on Tuesday, held a consultation session with Babar and the team at the hotel. The 54-year-old South African has joined the Pakistan squad ahead of his formal appointment as the consultant team director.

Arthur is likely to fly back to England on Thursday to resume his services as the head coach of Derbyshire. Sources said Arthur had arrived in Islamabad to meet the top management of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding his appointment.

A meeting between Arthur and PCB Interim Management Comm­ittee chairman Najam Sethi was expected to take place late on Wednesday or on Thursday for the finalisation of the matters regarding his appointment.

According to a PCB announcement made on Wednesday, the gate money coming from the fifth and final T20, to be played between Pakistan and New Zealand on April 24, will be donated to the recent earthquake victims of Turkiye and Syria.

The fans can buy tickets at pcb.bookme.pk.

In this regard, the PCB will play a part in raising donations for millions of people affected on either side of the border by joining hands with the Punjab government.

In this connection, the Pakistan team will wear commemorative caps to show the country’s everlasting solidarity towards Turkiye and Syria which were hit by a massive natural calamity last February.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2023