New Zealand has announced its T20I squad for the five-match series against Pakistan, with Michael Bracewell leading the team. The New Zealand T20I squad vs Pakistan 2025 will feature a mix of experienced players and new faces, with several key players missing due to Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments.
Bracewell, an all-rounder known for dismissing Virat Kohli in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final, will take over the captaincy for this series. The squad will see several players joining or leaving at different points in the series, making team dynamics an interesting aspect to watch.
Changes in the New Zealand T20I Squad vs Pakistan 2025
The New Zealand T20I squad vs Pakistan 2025 has undergone multiple changes due to player availability:
🔹 Returning Players: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, and James Neesham, who missed the previous series due to T20 league commitments, are back in the squad.
🔹 Late Arrivals: Matt Henry and Zak Foulkes will be available for the last two T20Is.
🔹 Early Departures: Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke will leave the squad after the first three matches.
🔹 Unavailable Players: Mitchell Santner, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, and Bevon Jacobs are unavailable as they will be playing in IPL 2025.
Bracewell expressed his excitement about leading the national team again, having previously captained New Zealand in Pakistan last year.
“It’s a great honor and a real privilege to captain your country. I really enjoyed leading the side in Pakistan last year, and we have many players from that squad included for this series as well, which is nice.”
New Zealand T20I Squad vs Pakistan 2025: Full List
🏏 New Zealand T20I Squad vs Pakistan 2025:
✅ Michael Bracewell (captain)
✅ Finn Allen
✅ Mark Chapman
✅ Jacob Duffy
✅ Zak Foulkes (4th & 5th T20I)
✅ Mitch Hay
✅ Matt Henry (4th & 5th T20I)
✅ Kyle Jamieson (1st, 2nd & 3rd T20I)
✅ Daryl Mitchell
✅ James Neesham
✅ Will O’Rourke (1st, 2nd & 3rd T20I)
✅ Tim Robinson
✅ Ben Sears
✅ Tim Seifert
✅ Ish Sodhi
Bracewell Aims to Build on Santner’s Success
Bracewell praised Mitchell Santner, who led New Zealand to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they lost to India by four wickets.
“Mitch Santner has done a great job since taking over as white-ball captain. I’ll just be trying to build on his good work and create an enjoyable environment for the players to perform in.”
Santner’s leadership played a crucial role in New Zealand’s strong performances in white-ball cricket, and Bracewell will be looking to continue that momentum with the New Zealand T20I squad vs Pakistan 2025.
Pakistan’s T20I Squad: Major Captaincy Change
Pakistan has made a huge captaincy change ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka.
🔹 Agha Salman replaces Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan’s T20I captain.
🔹 Babar Azam and Rizwan have been dropped from the squad.
🔹 Shadab Khan has been appointed vice-captain.
🏏 Pakistan’s T20I Squad vs New Zealand 2025:
✅ Agha Salman (captain)
✅ Shadab Khan (vice-captain)
✅ Abdul Samad
✅ Abrar Ahmed
✅ Haris Rauf
✅ Hasan Nawaz
✅ Jahandad Khan
✅ Khushdil Shah
✅ Mohammad Abbas Afridi
✅ Mohammad Ali
✅ Mohammad Haris
✅ Muhammad Irfan Khan
✅ Omair Bin Yousaf
✅ Shaheen Shah Afridi
✅ Sufyan Moqim
✅ Usman Khan
The decision to drop Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan has surprised many, as they have been key players in Pakistan’s T20 setup for years.
Bracewell on Facing Pakistan
Bracewell is not underestimating Pakistan, despite their poor performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they failed to win a single match as the host nation.
“Pakistan are always a dangerous short-form side with lots of power and pace. We know they’ll be hurting after an early exit in the Champions Trophy.”
Despite the disappointment of losing the Champions Trophy final, Bracewell believes the New Zealand T20I squad vs Pakistan 2025 is highly motivated for the series.
“For the guys coming back from Dubai, there’s obviously a level of disappointment, but also a lot of pride in the way we performed and represented New Zealand.”
He also expressed excitement about playing in front of home fans again.
“We’ve loved all of the support we’ve received from afar, and we’re looking forward to getting back home and playing in front of full venues.”
New Zealand vs Pakistan 2025 T20I Series Schedule
The New Zealand T20I squad vs Pakistan 2025 will begin its five-match series from March 16 to March 26, 2025.
🏏 New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I Series Schedule:
📅 1st T20I – March 16, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
📅 2nd T20I – March 18, University Oval, Dunedin
📅 3rd T20I – March 21, Eden Park, Auckland
📅 4th T20I – March 24, McLean Park, Napier
📅 5th T20I – March 26, Sky Stadium, Wellington
This T20I series will serve as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
🚀 Will Michael Bracewell succeed as New Zealand’s T20I captain? Can Pakistan bounce back from their Champions Trophy disappointment? Share your thoughts! 🏏🔥
