- Babar Azam wins the toss and chooses to bat first in the first Test against New Zealand.
- Sarfaraz Ahmed returns to the Pakistan team after four years.
- Hamza is making his first Test appearance since 2018.
Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, won the toss and chose to bat first in the first Test against New Zealand at the Karachi National Back Cricket Arena.
Former Pakistan Sarfaraz Ahmed is back on the team after four years. He played his last game in 2019 against South Africa. During that game, he caught 10 balls and scored 50 runs.
The wicketkeeper-batsman is playing in his 50th Test, but it is the first time he is playing at home. Mir Hamza, a fast bowler, has been added to the XI in place of Naseem Shah, who is still not fully healed from his injury.
Hamza is making his first Test appearance since 2018.
.@SarfarazA_54 is making his 5️⃣0️⃣th Test appearance 🙌#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/OHcEQXUhNm
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 26, 2022
Squads:
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (capt), Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Agha Salman, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Mir Hamza, Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee (captain), Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, and Ajaz Patel.
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