A day after arriving in New Zealand, Shaheen Afridi's T20 side were greeted with a Powhiri - a Maori welcoming ceremony - at a marae, a traditional meeting ground. It was the first time a visiting team had been invited alongside the New Zealand cricket team onto a marae as part of a traditional welcome. The pictures that went out painted a picture of mutual respect and familiarity for two teams that, by the time this series is over, will have played each other 27 times in the last 15 months.And the newly anointed Pakistan T20I captain extended that spirit of respecting and honouring his own predecessor - as well as his vice-captain - to the pre-match press conference, saying Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were "the best opening pair" for Pakistan. At the same time, though, he suggested that did not mean his side weren't open to changes, and suggested Pakistan were still working out their best combination ahead of this year's T20 World Cup."Babar and Rizwan remain the best opening pair for Pakistan," Shaheen said. "We have 17 matches ahead of the World Cup to look at our combination. We'll make tweaks to see which player is best suited to which position. When we go to England we'll know what the best position is. There will be changes perhaps but by the time the team goes to England, we hope to know exactly what our best playing XI is and where they're playing."
Babar and Rizwan's pairing in T20s has been a point of keenest debate for followers of Pakistan cricket, with the main question surrounding whether the enormity of runs they score up top can compensate for a strike rate not quite as explosive as modern T20 cricket demands. That debate has been lent further fuel by the emergence of two firebrand hitters in Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris who can take their place. While Haris is not part of this series, Ayub is expected to feature heavily, potentially lining up with Rizwan as opener.Shaheen insisted Babar dropping down the order did not mean Pakistan valued him any less, dismissing the idea he was struggling with the bat. "I don't think Babar's form is bad. He's the best, and he's scored so many runs I don't even know anymore. A few innings make no difference. As a player and a captain, he's performed well for Pakistan. He's always our best player."The other notable point of interest for Shaheen concerns his own workload, with the T20 captain saying he had missed the third Test against Australia earlier this month because the medical team deemed the chances of an injury too significant to play him in a game that was inconsequential to the series.
With Australia having taken a 2-0 lead, Shaheen had bowled 99.2 overs across that period, far more than any other bowler from either side. Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez said Shaheen's body was sore, and could not be risked, though the decision did come in for heavy criticism from several former Pakistan legends, most notably Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
"I played Tests after a few months and played two Tests," Shaheen said. "Test cricket is not easy - I bowled 100 [99.2] overs. My body was sore and there was a chance of injury, so I think the team management and medical panel decided I should take a rest - they didn't want to see me injured again."Test cricket is my first priority. Everyone loves Test cricket. When I start[ed] my cricket journey, I played T20Is and ODI. My older brother [Riaz Afridi] who played one Test for Pakistan said, 'when you play Test cricket, you're a proper cricketer'. My first goal is always to prioritise Test cricket. That's the first priority for every cricketer. When you play the shorter format, it's easier on your body."I'm fit now. I bowled too much in the two Tests and the fatigue was immense. If we had the opportunity to win the series, I believe I would have played, because I love Test cricket and it is my priority."But the need to nurse Shaheen back to a higher level of fitness - his pace continues to hover in the early 130s kph since he returned from his previous injury (knee) - also means he is unlikely to play each of the five T20Is Pakistan play in New Zealand. "I do not want to miss any game, but what the body requirements is [are] means there might be challenges. I want to play every game for my country."The more immediate challenge, though, concerns the dimensions at Eden Park in Auckland, where the sides play the first T20I against New Zealand. The ground is a multi-purpose venue, its other most notable function being playing host to the All Blacks, New Zealand's rugby side. The shape of the ground means the straight boundaries are famously short; the shortest distance from batter to rope can be as little as 45m. It is something Shaheen, a bowler who likes to pitch it up and look for swing, is keenly aware of, and hinted at a change of tactic."The straight boundary is very small, to be honest, not easy [to defend]. For me, I like to bowl full so it's tough. The square boundary is bigger so we'll adjust our team plan to that. But it's not easy for fast bowlers; we'll see what fast bowlers in the past have done so we'll do our best."For me this is an exciting challenge and a proud moment. It's not easy, a new challenge. We have a good track record against New Zealand but they're an excellent T20 side."Earlier in the day, Kane Williamson and Afridi unveiled the series trophy at Albert Park, the spot where the flower guardians encircle the central fountain - the place for the photoshoot. Williamson sat down for his press conference before Afridi, with New Zealand making sure he wrapped up to not keep Afridi waiting for too long. The familiarity with which the two greeted one another is indicative of the frequency with which their paths cross, but the traditional welcome Pakistan received reminded Afridi of a time when he was in New Zealand during his Under-19 days."That [the welcome] was a really good experience," Afridi said, his face lighting up at the memory. "We had a similar welcome at the 2018 World Cup when we came here. I wasn't in the team then, but as a touring group we really liked it. It was an awesome experience this time, too, we enjoyed it. Thank you to New Zealand Cricket and to all of New Zealand."Afridi isn't just in the team now, but very much the main character. And while that brings with it burdens and claustrophobic expectations in Pakistan, kicking it off with a powhiri at Orakei marae is a friendlier reception than he will get some days.