NZ vs PAK: Massive blow for New Zealand as dreaded COVID-19 strikes again, star player forced out of 1st T20I

New Zealand's prominent all-rounder Mitchell Santner is set to miss the opening T20I of the upcoming five-match series against Pakistan due to a positive COVID-19 test. The series is set to commence at Eden Park in Auckland. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed Santner's health status via X (previously known as Twitter), throwing a spotlight on his absence from the first match of this much-anticipated series.

As per NZC's update, Santner will be closely monitored in the upcoming days. He will travel alone to Hamilton, his hometown, which incidentally is the venue for the series' second T20I, slated for Sunday night.

"Mitch Santner won’t travel to Eden Park this evening for the opening KFC T20I against Pakistan after testing positive for COVID earlier today. He will continue to be monitored over the coming days and will travel solo home to Hamilton," read a tweet from Black Caps.

The impact of Santner's absence cannot be understated, considering his significant contributions to the New Zealand T20I team. To date, he has amassed 610 runs across 64 innings, maintaining an average of 16.94, and boasts a highest score of fifty. Additionally, his prowess with the ball is evident from his 105 wickets in 93 T20I matches.

This New Zealand-Pakistan series promises intense competition, with the teams ranked fourth and third globally. They last faced each other in the high-stakes semifinals of the World Cup held in Sydney, Australia, in November 2022, where Pakistan emerged victorious.

The Eden Park clash marks the beginning of a rigorous schedule that will see the teams play five matches across four cities within a ten-day span. The series holds particular significance as it serves as a precursor to another set of five matches scheduled in Pakistan in April, although the New Zealand squad for that tour will not include players participating in the Indian Premier League.

Squads

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee

Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan

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