It would be a mistake to think that what New Zealand did in September would be forgotten in the elation of the win over India. Even though India’s defeat didn’t bring home a trophy, many Pakistani supporters felt that avenging the defeat meant more to them than anything else in this tournament. Both teams are expected to play thrilling matches as the match will be the first time they face each other since the Black Caps canceled their tour of Pakistan at the eleventh hour due to security concerns.
Why Pakistani Fans Are More Excited About Pakistan vs. New Zealand Match?
The real reason Pakistani cricket fans are upset with the New Zealand team is their decision to cancel the tour at the eleventh hour last September. Nevertheless, PCB and the Pakistan government had foolproof security arrangements for the Black Caps and the New Zealand Cricket Board has been assured of them.
Even the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan personally spoke with the Prime Minister of New Zealand and assured her that there is no security threat whatsoever posed to the visiting team.
It was the first time that New Zealand toured Pakistan in 18 years. Cricket fans in Pakistan experienced a great deal of anger when the tour was canceled. In an address to the Pakistani team, Ramiz Raja said, “Frustration and anger should be channeled towards your performance. When you become a world-class team, people will start lining up to play,”
A total of three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20s were scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore. After the tour had been canceled, England and Australia also canceled their trip to Pakistan, adding to the panic in Pakistan. As a result of this canceled tour, Pakistani fans want revenge for what they perceived to be a humiliation worldwide. Therefore, they are just as excited about today’s match as they were about Pak vs. India match previously.
What Is the Reason Why Pakistan Has a Better Chance of Winning Over New Zealand in Today’s Match?
New Zealand only won 1 out of 7 T20 matches against Pakistan in UAE. As a team, the Green Shirts possess a high level of spirit and are fully prepared to answer what the Black Caps have done to Pakistani cricket in the last month. The confidence level of Pakistani cricket is at an all-time high since they humiliated India. As New Zealand knows it is going to be a tough match against Pakistan, they will consider this pressure beforehand.
Here are the reasons how Pakistan has more chances of a win against New Zealand in today’s match.
Black Caps are lacking practice
In the competition’s last T20 match, New Zealand faced Bangladesh in September. That means nearly two months have passed since the Black Caps played a T20. In addition to valuable practice, they might be able to get some valuable experience before the World Cup if they don’t abandon their tour in Pakistan.
Green Shirts has a high spirit
It will be a stern test for the Black Caps tonight against a team that made Virat Kohli’s star-studded India side live to regret it. The conventional wisdom holds that they could do exactly the same thing to New Zealand if they would do that to India.
Kane Williamson’s elbow injury
Williamson is suffering from an elbow injury, a part essential to hitting big, which could put the Black Caps at risk. The injury has been classified as a “niggle,” but since the injury is in his elbow, this could cause the team problems. The discomfort of this type of injury can be very frustrating for a batsman and give the Men in Green another edge.
