The third match of the ongoing T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand is scheduled to take place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on April 21. The previous two matches of the series were also held at this venue, with one match being abandoned and the other resulting in a one-sided victory for the hosts. After tonight’s game, the remaining two games of the 5-match series will take place in Lahore.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was established in 1993 but the first T20I here was played in 2020. To date, the venue has hosted seven T20I games, two of which were abandoned due to rain. With a seating capacity of 15,000, it is a compact venue, featuring shorter boundary dimensions.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium T20I Records
Rawalpindi has witnessed high-scoring clashes in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), but the narrative shifts in international matches. Across seven T20I matches held here, no team has managed to surpass the 200-run mark. The average first innings score stands at 153. Additionally, a team is yet to successfully defend a total in Rawalpindi in T20 internationals.
- Matches Played: 7
- Won by the team batting first: 0
- Won by the team batting second: 5
- No Result/Tied: 2
- Biggest score while batting first: Pakistan – 193/5 (20) vs New Zealand, 2023
- Lowest score while batting first: New Zealand – 90/10 (18.1) vs Pakistan, 2024
- Biggest total chased: New Zealand chased 193 vs Pakistan, 2023
- Lowest Score Defended: No score defended here
- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium average 1st innings score in T20I: 153
- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium average 2nd innings score in T20I: 155
- Best figures for a Pacer: Harish Rauf (Pakistan) – 3/31 vs Zimbabwe, 2020
- Best figures for a Spinner: Usman Qadir (Pakistan) – 4/13 vs Zimbabwe, 2020
- Highest score by a Batter: Mark Chapman (New Zealand) – 104*(57) vs Pakistan, 2023
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report for NZ vs PAK T20I
Yesterday, Rawalpindi featured a hard and flat pitch, allowing the pacers to extract pace and bounce from the surface, and the ball came nicely onto the bat. However, despite these conditions, the match between PAK and NZ turned out to be a low-scoring clash. The inexperienced New Zealand batters played loose shots instead of settling their feet when required. As a result, Kiwis were bundled out on 90 runs and Pakistan chased the total in just 12 overs.
With its shorter boundaries and flat pitch, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium offers batting-friendly conditions, making it an ideal venue for teams to prefer bowling first. Interestingly, in the five completed T20I games held here, no team has managed to successfully defend a total.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Last T20I Match Scorecard
| New Zealand: 90-10 (18.1) | Pakistan: 92-3 (12.1) |
| Mark Chapman: 19(16) | Mohammad Rizwan: 45*(34) |
| Cole McConchi: 15(18) | Irfan Khan: 18(18) |
| Dean Foxcroft: 13(14) | Babar Azam: 14(13) |
| Shaheen Afridi: 3.1 – 0 – 13 – 3 | Ben Lister: 2 – 0 – 10 – 1 |
| Mohammed Amir: 3 – 0 – 13 – 2 | Ish Sodhi 3 – 0 – 18 – 1 |
| Abrar Ahmed: 4 – 0 – 15 – 2 | Mitchell Bracewell: 2.1 – 0 – 23 – 1 |
| Match Result: Pakistan won by 7 wickets. |