Sky Stadium, Wellington, pitch history and T20I records
The final T20I of the series between Pakistan and New Zealand is set to take place at Sky Stadium in Wellington. The Blackcaps have already secured a 3-1 lead in the series and will be aiming to finish with a 4-1 scoreline. On the other hand, Pakistan will be looking to salvage some pride after a heavy defeat in the previous game following their impressive run-chase in the third T20I.
Before the fifth T20I kicks off, it’s worth looking at the historical records of T20I matches at Sky Stadium in Wellington. The pitch has historically favored pace bowlers, with teams losing the toss winning 11 out of 16 T20Is at the venue. Here are some key stats from previous matches at the ground:
– T20I matches played: 16
– Matches won by teams batting first: 7
– Matches won by teams batting second: 9
– Highest individual score: 84 by Tim Seifert (NZ) vs India in 2019
– Best bowling figures: 6/30 by Ashton Agar (AUS) vs New Zealand in 2021
– Highest team total: 219/6 by New Zealand vs India in 2019
– Lowest team total: 101 by Pakistan vs New Zealand in 2016
– Highest successful run-chase: 216/4 by Australia vs New Zealand in 2024
– Average first innings score: 156
The pitch report for the upcoming match suggests that the surface has been relatively balanced, offering assistance to both batsmen and bowlers. Pakistan will hope for a better performance at the ground, considering their past struggles in T20Is at Sky Stadium. In 2016, they were bundled out for just 101 runs by the Kiwis in a bilateral match.
In the last T20I played at Sky Stadium, Australia pulled off a remarkable six-wicket victory over New Zealand in a high-scoring encounter. The Blackcaps posted 215/3 in their innings, only to see Australia chase down the target on the final ball of the match, recording the highest successful run-chase at the venue. The match summary saw three batsmen scoring half-centuries, with Mitchell Marsh starring for Australia.
As the stage is set for the final showdown between Pakistan and New Zealand at Sky Stadium, cricket fans can expect an exciting and competitive contest between the two sides. The pitch conditions and historical records suggest that both teams will have to bring their A-game to come out on top in what promises to be an enthralling T20I clash.
