New Zealand and Pakistan are gearing up for the face-off in the fifth and final T20I match, scheduled for this Sunday (January 21) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Notably, all four previous encounters have been won by New Zealand as this clash will serve as a dead-rubber, however, for Pakistan, this match will serve them with the last opportunity to save themselves from being swept with 0-5 defeat. 

Uncharacteristically, Pakistan have seen a flurry of defeats in their last four games, raising lots of concerns surrounding the reshuffling in the team. It is a challenging situation for Pakistan to be in, having suffered defeats in all four previous encounters. 

Despite a lineup boasting talent such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, the Men in Green have struggled to find their rhythm in the series. To keep the pride, Pakistan would need their batting and bowling lineup to come out of the hurdles and play a combative cricket to hold their head high. 

New Zealand's exceptional performance throughout the series has showcased their prowess in T20I cricket. The Black Caps have displayed a fine balance of batting and bowling, with key players consistently delivering match-winning performances. The last game saw Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips putting on a 139-run stand to take the team over the line. Heading into this game, New Zealand will not be having Daryl Mitchell who has been rested, meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra has been added to the squad.

New Zealand Probable XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson

Pakistan Probable XI: Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi (c), Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan