Pakistan and New Zealand will kick off their five-match T20I series this weekend, with their new-look T20I side undertaking their first assignment. Here's a reminder of what the ICC rankings for men's T20I sides currently look like ahead of the series.
The international white-ball focus has been firmly on the 50-over side of the game with an eye to the Champions Trophy. The ODI competition finished last week with India beating the Black Caps in the final. Now, the road to the 2026 T20 World Cup is getting underway with the focus back on the shorter format.
Pakistan team news: Babar, Rizwan left out of T20Is
Pakistan have named a new-look squad for the series under new T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, which is shorn of both Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. Shadab Khan has returned to the squad as vice-captain, while Rizwan has retained the ODI captaincy. Saim Ayub is still absent with the ankle injury he sustained in South Africa ahead of the Champions Trophy, while uncapped players Hasan Nawaz and Abdul Samad have also been selected.
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Michael Bracewell will captain the home side, with several members of New Zealand's first choice side missing due to workload management or IPL commitments. It's Bracewell's second series as national captain, having led a tour of Pakistan last year. Mitchell Santner is missing the series to play for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL.
New Zealand left without IPL participants
Fast bowler Ben Sears has been selected having recovered from a hamstring injury, as has Ish Sodhi. Both Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke will only play the first three games of the series in an effort to manage the two fast bowler's workloads. Matt Henry will play the final two matches of the series, after an injury he picked up the Champions Trophy semi-final kept him out of the final. Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips are all unavailable due to the IPL, while Kane Williamson opted out of the series to play in the PSL.
The series begins on Sunday, March 16, at the Hagley Oval, before both teams head to Otago, Auckland, and Tauranga before finishing up in Wellington on Match 26. Ahead of the series, New Zealand are in the middle of a three-way tie for fourth place in the ICC men's T20I rankings table, while Pakistan sit in seventh place as the next team with a lower rating than New Zealand. India are still way out in front, a full 10 ratings points ahead of second place Australia.
Updated ICC Men's T20I rankings ahead of NZ v PAK series
| Position | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
| 1 | India | 75 | 20,170 | 269 |
| 2 | Australia | 48 | 12,417 | 259 |
| 3 | England | 50 | 12,688 | 254 |
| 4 | West Indies | 59 | 14,587 | 247 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 54 | 13,324 | 247 |
| 6 | South Africa | 46 | 11,345 | 247 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 54 | 12,758 | 236 |
| 8 | Sri Lanka | 48 | 11,159 | 232 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 56 | 12,797 | 229 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 42 | 9,322 | 222 |
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