Introduction New Zealand and Pakistan have met eight times in Twenty20 International cricket with Pakistan winning

five matches and New Zealand three. The Kiwis won their home three-match series in December 2010 by two matches to one. They have met three times in ICC World Twenty20 tournaments. Pakistan won by six wickets at Cape Town in 2007 and by six wickets at The Oval in 2009. New Zealand won by one run at Bridgetown in 2010. New Zealand has played 54 matches in this format, winning 26 and losing 25 with three ties. Pakistan has played 58 matches, winning 34 and losing 22 with two ties.

Lie of the Land New Zealand won its only game at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium against Bangladesh in their first match. This is Pakistans first match at the venue. The stadium has hosted four day/night matches. All four have been won batting first. In those four matches, one captain has won the toss and chosen to bat and three have chosen to field. The average first innings score is 175.

Recent International Twenty20 form New Zealand has won five and lost four of its nine Twenty20 Internationals in 2012. It beat Bangladesh by 59 runs at Pallekele in its first match, having lost to Australia by 56 runs and to South Africa by 9 runs in its warm-up matches. Pakistan has played eight Twenty20 Internationals in 2012, winning three and losing four with one tie. It beat India by five wickets and lost to England by 15 runs in its warm-up matches.

Upcoming milestones Reliance ICC Rankings News Victory for New Zealand could move it up into third place in the Reliance ICC Twenty20 International Championship. Defeat could cost it two places and move it down to sixth. Victory for Pakistan would move it above New Zealand whereas defeat would push it below India. Brendon McCullum is the worlds top-ranked batsman in Twenty20 International cricket. He boasts eleven scores of fifty or more in this format more than anyone else. Nathan McCullum is the Kiwis top-ranked bowler in fifth place, but Tim Southees 3th 16 against Bangladesh has sent him to a career-best 15 position. Mohammad Hafeez is Pakistans top-ranked batsman among their current squad. He th is also ranked 13 with the ball and second in the all-rounders table. Saeed Ajmal is the worlds top-ranked bowler in Twenty20 International cricket. His last six matches have brought him 13 wickets at just 8.84 apiece. Kamran Akmal needs three dismissals to become the first wicket-keeper to make 50 in Twenty20 International cricket. Mohammad Hafeez needs 49 runs and Imran Nazir needs 69 runs to reach 2000 in all Twenty20 cricket.