Pakistan accepts proposal to visit New Zealand for white-ball series

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) proposal of a white-ball series against the Men in Green at the home ground next year, a private news channel reported on Sunday.

The NZC had extended the offer to Pakistan last month, to visit New Zealand for a series that could comprise five T20Is or three ODI matches after concluding their tour of Australia’s visit in 2024.

According to media report, both the cricket boards are holding talks to finalise the proposed series’ schedule.

The series between Pakistan and New Zealand could begin in the second week of January since the latter has a free window before its home series against South Africa in February.

New Zealand have offered to play the series after the conclusion of Pakistan’s tour of Australia in January 2024. It should be noted that the three-match Test series will conclude on January 7.

The last time Men in Green visited New Zealand was for a tri-series between the national side, hosts, and Bangladesh that took place last year in October before the T20 World Cup.

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The Babar Azam-led squad won the tri-series, beating New Zealand by five wickets in the decider.

Since then, the Kiwis have visited Pakistan twice, first for the Test and ODI series that kicked off in late December 2021, and the other for a T20 and ODI series in April.

The two-match Test series in December was drawn, while tourists won by 2-1 in the ODIs.

Whereas, this year’s five-match T20I series was leveled 2-2 as one of the match witnessed a washout in Rawalpindi, while the hosts claimed a 4-1 victory in the ODI series last month.