AUCKLAND: On Friday, Pakistan and New Zealand will play their first Twenty20 international in a five-match series in Auckland.
The game is scheduled to begin at 11:10 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time.
In a related move, Andre Adams, a former all-round player, has been named by New Zealand Cricket [NZC] as the men’s national team’s bowling coach for their upcoming five-match T20I series against Pakistan at home.
Alongside the 48-year-old, Luke Ronchi, a former New Zealand batter and wicketkeeper, will serve as batting coach in the team led by head coach Gary Stead. On Wednesday in Auckland, Adams will begin his tenure with the men’s squad from New Zealand.
Over the course of a five-year career, Adams played one Test, 42 ODIs, and four T20Is for New Zealand. Before retiring in 2015, he also enjoyed spells with Nottinghamshire, Hampshire, and Essex in the English county circuit.
After that, Adams assumed the position of bowling coach for the Australian domestic team New South Wales, and he is credited with helping Mitchell Starc emerge from a slump in 2019. In addition, he was employed by the Auckland side, where he shaped Lockie Ferguson’s career, and the Sydney Sixers in the BBL.
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Adams most recently coached the New Zealand women’s team’s fast bowling during their limited-overs tour of South Africa in September and October of last year.
During the T20I series against Pakistan, team performance manager Simon Insley and strength and conditioning coach Chris Donaldson of New Zealand will both take a break. Dave Meiring, the high performance manager for Central Districts, and Matt Long, the head of athlete development for Cricket Wellington, will take up their respective positions.
The five-match Twenty20 International series between New Zealand and Pakistan begins in Auckland on January 12. After that, the teams will go to Hamilton and Dunedin for the second and third T20I matches, then on to Christchurch for the final two.