Pakistan’s dismal record in T20I cricket continued as they were thrashed by nine wickets in the first match of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Christchurch on March 16, 2025. They met the same feat in second T20I on Tuesday as Michael Bracewell and Co register a five-wicket win in a rain-affected match.
With Salman Ali Agha leading the team in the absence of Mohammad Rizwan, the visitors could muster only 91 runs before New Zealand easily chased down the target in 10.1 overs, with 59 balls to spare in the series opener. Agha’s 46 off 28 helped Pakistan amass 135 on the board but Tim Seifert’s 45 off 22 followed by Finn Allen’s quick 38 set the base for victory.
This loss further extends Pakistan’s current slump in T20 cricket. Their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign was nothing less than disastrous, as they were the first team to get eliminated after losing all their group-stage matches. There were hopes that the men in green would redeem themselves in the T20I series, but their show in the first game indicates otherwise.
Pakistan’s alarming T20I record
If we consider Pakistan’s recent 18 completed T20I matches before the ongoing PAK vs NZ series, their record is dire:
South Africa – Lost by 5 wickets
South Africa – Won by 7 wickets
South Africa – Won by 6 wickets
England – Lost by 23 runs
England – Lost by 7 wickets
United States – Match tied
India – Lost by 6 runs
Canada – Won by 7 wickets
South Africa – Won by 3 wickets
Australia – Lost by 29 runs
Australia – Defeated by 13 runs
Australia – Defeated by 7 wickets
Zimbabwe – Beat by 57 runs
Zimbabwe – Beat by 10 wickets
Zimbabwe – Lost by 2 wickets
South Africa – Lost by 11 runs
South Africa – Defeated by 7 wickets
Australia – Defeated by 9 wickets
Their last big win was in April 2024. Ever since then, Pakistan have only been able to beat underdog teams, while not being able to beat stronger teams.
Repeated changes in captaincy and unpredictable management
One of the key issues hampering Pakistan cricket is the change in captaincies on a routine basis. Over the last few years, a series of captaincy changes resulted in the side lacking stability. A former leading force in T20Is, Pakistan had a record 11-series winning sequence under Sarfaraz Ahmed. During Ramiz Raja’s time as PCB chairman, Pakistan, captained by Babar Azam, delivered scintillating performances in two T20 World Cups, even defeating arch-rivals India in the process. Of late, however, there has been concern about the direction of the team and the long-term vision.
With the third T20I on March 21, 2025, Pakistan need to find a way to recover before the series goes even further out of their reach. The side requires a restructuring in terms of strategy, with an emphasis on consistency in leadership, improved team selection, and resolving their frequent batting collapses.
The pressure is mounting on the management and players alike to change their fortunes. With the T20 World Cup in 2026, Pakistan’s performance during this series will determine the tone of their campaign. Can they recapture their lost glory, or will their recent woes continue? The upcoming games will be decisive in deciding the men in green’s destiny in the shortest form of the game.
