With Pakistan-NZ’s first Twenty20 match abandoned, Mohammad Amir’s return is on hold

After Pakistan and New Zealand’s first Twenty20 match on Thursday ended in a washout, fast bowler Mohammad Amir’s comeback to international cricket was scheduled to be delayed. Rain stopped play in a shortened five-over-a-side match after debutant Tim Robinson was clean bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for a duck, putting New Zealand up 2-1 after two balls.

Rain delayed play for almost two hours, and in Rawalpindi, a little drizzle caused the toss to be postponed for thirty minutes. This was Afridi’s turn to deliver the opening ball. On Saturday, the sides will reconvene for the second of five T20 matches. After coming out of retirement to compete in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States in June, Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim were included in the 17-man Pakistani squad for the country’s five-match home series against New Zealand. Amir was playing in his hometown for his first international match in four years, while Imad was not selected to participate.

The series is being used by both teams, headed by the returned white-ball skipper Babar Azam, to get ready for the T20 World Cup. Usman Khan, Irfan Khan, and Abrar Ahmed were picked as Pakistan’s three debutants for the first game of the series following their performances in the previous Pakistan Super League. After Usman switched allegiance to play for his natal nation, the Emirates Cricket Board banned him for five years. After he scored two hundred in a row in the Pakistan Super League, the Pakistan selectors took notice. Abrar excelled with his leg-spin bowling, while Irfan was dubbed the PSL’s developing talent.

Azam Khan, the wicketkeeper for Pakistan, was pulled out of the first match after feeling pain in his calf and right knee during Wednesday’s net-hit session. Nine important players who were participating in the Indian Premier League were absent from New Zealand.

Just before the trip, injuries sustained in training by Finn Allen and Adam Milne significantly weakened the group. Robinson, who made 298 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 187.42 in the Super Smash back home, was handed a T20 debut by New Zealand. The next two games of the series, on April 25 and 27, will be played in Lahore; the third game, on Sunday, will also be held in Rawalpindi.