NZ ask Pakistan to bat in 1st T20

Auckland -  New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first in the opening Twenty20 match against a Pakistan side that includes Mohammad Amir at Eden Park on Friday.

The match mark's Amir's return from a five-year ban for spot-fixing which halted the left-arm quick's career at the age of 18 when he was already being touted as a future great of the game.

It remains to be seen whether he can immediately produce the form that saw him become the fastest player to take 50 test wickets.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said he wanted to bowl first with the prospect that conditions "will assist us with the bat" later in the evening.

New Zealand made two changes to the side that beat Sri Lanka on the same wicket five days ago, with Matt Henry replacing Mitchell McClenaghan and legspinner Todd Astle making his debut as he comes in for Ross Taylor.

Teams:

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Corey Anderson, Grant Elliott, Luke Ronchi, Todd Astle, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Trent Boult.

Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi (captain), Imad Wasim, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir.

Umpires: Phil Jones and Derek Walker, New Zealand.

TV umpire: Billy Bowden, New Zealand. Match referee: David Boon, Australia.