#WT20 NZ to bat first against Pakistan
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in their World Twenty20 Super 10 stage match.
|||MOHALI, India - New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in their World Twenty20 Super 10 stage match on Tuesday.
#NZ have won the toss. and have chosen to bat. Who will win this one?
— ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2016
LIVE: https://t.co/u6vHAw0g8V #NZvPAK #WT20 pic.twitter.com/atZW5B2IQo
New Zealand, who have varied their team selection in the tournament depending on the nature of the pitch, went with the same side that defeated Australia in their last match.
A victory on the green-tinged surface at Mohali would cement New Zealand's berth in the last four after having won both their matches in Group Two.
“The wicket looks pretty good. Little bit of grass but looks pretty dry underneath,” Williamson said at the toss.
“So far we have adapted pretty well and looks like a different surface again so it's important we adapt well again.
“We will look to get a good score on the board and put a bit of pressure on them in the second innings.”
Pakistan made two changes to the team that lost to arch-rivals India with batsman Mohammad Hafeez failing to recover from a knee injury while paceman Wahab Riaz was hit in the head by a ball during practice.
Batsman Khalid Latif and spin-bowling all-rounder Imad Wasim were drafted into the team.
“It's a fresh surface. I think if the bowlers get the ball in the right areas there are chances to take some early wickets,” Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said.
Here are the teams for this huge encounter between #NZ and #PAK.
— ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2016
LIVE: https://t.co/u6vHAw0g8V #NZvPAK #WT20 pic.twitter.com/30BwIpj8HJ
“Hafeez is not 100 per cent and he is not fit. We have also rested Wahab Riaz.” – Reuters