New Zealand

Batsman Shafiq was on Wednesday omitted from a 35-man squad to face the Black Caps after a poor Test series in England.

Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik were also omitted from a touring party for three Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests against the Black Caps in December and January.

Uncapped Paceman Amad Butt, batsmen Danish Aziz and Imran Butt were included along with Rohail Nazir as the Pakistan selectors invested in youth.

Pakistan head coach Misbah, who named Mohammad Rizwan as Babar Azam's Test vice-captain and Shadab Khan as T20 deputy, says there can still be a way back for the 34-year-old Shafiq.

He said: "There are three major omissions from the side that toured England. Asad Shafiq has been left out due to lack of form after he managed 510 runs in his last 15 innings, including a total of 67 runs in England.

"Asad is an experienced batsman and I am sure he will utilise this time to work harder on his game in the domestic first-class matches so that he, like Sarfraz Ahmed, can reclaim his form and be back in contention for the upcoming Tests against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

"Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats."

The first T20 will be staged at Eden Park on December 18 and the Test series gets under way at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on December 26.

Pakistan squad:

Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Zeeshan Malik, Babar Azam (captain), Azhar Ali, Danish Aziz, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Haris Sohail, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Butt, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Rohail Nazir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Yasir Shah, Zafar Gohar, Amad Butt, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Musa, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz.

The tourists resumed day one on 318-4 with Mitchell closing in on a century, and he went well beyond that mark to post 190, the third-highest Test score by a New Zealand player in England.

He was joined on three figures by Blundell, who reached 106 before falling to Jack Leach as England toiled.

Matthew Potts finally brought an end to Mitchell's remarkable stay at the crease as New Zealand were bowled out for 553, their highest Test score in England. The hosts lost Zak Crawley (four) early in their reply before Alex Lees (34 not out) and Ollie Pope (51 no) guided them to stumps on 90-1, trailing by 463.

Mitchell treated the Trent Bridge crowd to one of the great New Zealand Test knocks, though the shot that brought his 184-ball hundred was not one to remember as he edged Potts for four.

Potts then dropped Mitchell on 104 at long-on, allowing a regulation catch to go to the boundary. Mitchell and Blundell continued to punish England following that missed opportunity, the latter reaching his century in 191 balls.

Their stand of 236 marked New Zealand's highest fifth-wicket partnership in Tests and was eventually ended when Leach removed Blundell, though the same bowler was on the receiving end of a barrage from Mitchell after lunch.

Michael Bracewell (49) took over the supporting role, but the wickets tumbled after he fell to James Anderson, with Mitchell receiving acclaim from England players and fans upon his exit.

Crawley went to a superb Trent Boult delivery in the second over of the reply, before Mitchell committed a pair of drops at first slip, the first a simple catch that would have dismissed Lees and the second handing a reprieve to Pope, who reached a fluid 66-ball half-century with a cut through backward point.

Mitchell masters with the bat... but fumbles in the field

Mitchell spent 477 minutes at the crease, hitting 23 fours and four sixes, but he may have been thinking more about his sub-par efforts in the slips as the teams left the field. New Zealand will hope his drops do not facilitate England denying them victory.

Crawley crumbles again

Crawley could not do much about a peach of a delivery from Boult. However, he continues to struggle opening the batting in 2022. It is now six single-figure scores in his past nine Test innings.

With the tourists missing captain Kane Williamson due to a positive test for COVID-19, England elected to field at Trent Bridge, but were eventually made to regret that decision.

Each of the Black Caps' top four batsmen failed to build on positive starts and the hosts may have had hope of quickly getting into the New Zealand tail when they were reduced to 169-4.

But Mitchell (81 not out) - a centurion in the first Test at Lord's - and the similarly in-form Blundell (67 not out) turned the game firmly in favour of New Zealand, who closed on 318-4.

Stand-in skipper Tom Latham (26) and Will Young (47) laid a solid foundation for the tourists with an 84-run opening partnership.

England had toiled in search of a breakthrough and when it came, it was quickly followed by a second as Young was caught at second slip and Latham pulled James Anderson to midwicket.

Henry Nicholls (30) and Devon Conway (46) somewhat replicated the performances of the openers. Ben Stokes broke up their 77-run stand when he had Nicholls caught behind and Conway fell in the same way to Anderson.

Yet there was no further joy for England in their increasingly desperate search for wickets. The hosts wasted reviews and both Mitchell and Blundell enjoyed largely serene progress, significantly boosting New Zealand's hopes of setting up a third-Test decider at Headingley.

Another Mitchell-Blundell masterclass

Mitchell and Blundell produced the second-highest partnership by a New Zealand pair in England in the Black Caps' defeat at Lord's, putting on 195.

They are on track to go beyond that after impressing in Nottingham, both again surpassing 50 with the former 19 runs shy of a second successive century.

Broad blunted

It is a little under seven years since Stuart Broad's remarkable 8-15 against Australia at Trent Bridge. He might not remember this Test at his home ground with fondness if he cannot improve on his day-one efforts, the frontline seamer providing little threat in recording figures of 0-74.

England added just 25 to their overnight score as they were dismissed for 141, a lead of nine, as both teams were bowled at Lord's in a Test match first innings for less than 150 for the first time since 1954.

Tim Southee (4-55) accounted for Stuart Broad (nine) and Ben Foakes (seven), while Trent Boult (3-21) removed Matt Parkinson – playing his first Test as a concussion sub for Jack Leach – for eight.

That called James Anderson (1-49) and Broad (1-47) back into action far sooner than they may have expected at Lord's, and the former soon dismissed Will Young for only one in the third over.

Matthew Potts (2-50) then claimed the wicket of captain Kane Williamson (15) for the second time in the match, before Tom Latham (14) edged the Durham quick behind to leave New Zealand 38-3 at lunch.

Devon Conway, on 13, feathered a short Broad ball behind to Foakes to start the second session, but Mitchell and Blundell steadied the ship to reach tea at 128-4.

Ben Stokes and Potts opted to employ the short-ball tactic in the final session, but to no avail as Blundell posted his fifth half-century, with Mitchell following his partner to the landmark shortly after. 

Mitchell (97) and Blundell (90), who remain unbeaten in their 180-run partnership, will eye their second and third Test match hundreds respectively as New Zealand look to build their sizeable lead on day three.

Brilliant Broad blunted

Australian opener David Warner joked on Instagram "Conway, I feel your pain" after seeing the New Zealand left-hander dismissed in familiar fashion by Broad around the wicket in the first innings.

Broad's second removal of Conway came from an alternate, shorter line, but despite his brilliant bowling, he ultimately left with no additional reward after the important knocks by Mitchell and Blundell.

Young must learn to leave

Young came into this series after a strong County Championship outing with Northamptonshire, racking up 331 runs at an average of 55.2 for the Division One side across his first four matches.

But the New Zealand opener must adapt after twice being exposed by Anderson's new-ball expertise, having been dismissed in almost identical fashion in both innings on one when nicking through to Foakes.

The 31-year-old Mitchell has produced career-best form on this tour, despite England getting the better of New Zealand and coming to Leeds with an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

This third Test produced an absorbing first day, with New Zealand reaching stumps at 225-5, an impressive recovery after teetering at 83-4 early in the afternoon.

It was Mitchell, after centuries at Lord's and Trent Bridge, who led the resistance, with able support from Tom Blundell, also enjoying a stellar tour with bat in hand.

Mitchell reached the close on 78 not out, with Blundell alongside him on 45, their partnership already worth 102 runs. Mitchell had enjoyed a moment of good fortune on eight when he was pinned in front by Matthew Potts but given not out, with England not challenging the decision. Replays showed he was plum in front.

The sixth-wicket pair were brought together after an extraordinarily odd end to Henry Nicholls' slow-paced vigil.

Nicholls had crawled to 19 from 98 balls when he drove uppishly down the ground off Jack Leach. The ball looked destined for the boundary but instead clattered off the raised bat of Mitchell at the non-striker's end and deflected away almost at a right angle to find the alert Alex Lees at mid-off.

Lees held on, as Leach wore a look of complete confusion and Nicholls cursed his luck.

Stuart Broad had earlier struck in the first over, drawing an edge from Tom Latham to Joe Root at slip. Leach took a wicket with his first delivery, beating the confused defences of Will Young and pinning the batsman in front. New Zealand challenged, but DRS showed the ball would have hit two thirds of the way up middle stump, with no suggestion of an edge.

Broad drew a thin edge from Kane Williamson just as the New Zealand captain was beginning to look like anchoring the innings, and England newcomer Jamie Overton bowled Devon Conway via an inside edge for a maiden Test wicket.

Nicholls departed in absurd circumstances, but Mitchell and Blundell again looked the part either side of a short rain delay, with this Test boiling up nicely.

Black Caps out to recapture former glories

New Zealand beat England by 199 runs in their last men's Test at Headingley, in May 2015. Both teams made exactly 350 in the first innings of that contest, before New Zealand took control to earn just their second Test win against England from eight meetings at the Leeds venue (D1, L5).

Joe Root made scores of 1 and 0 in that match, and keeping England's batting danger man down to another low score when the home side get to bat could again be key this time.

Mitchell making history

Mitchell's Test batting average now stands at a remarkable 65.69, with this his 12th Test. Among players to have played 10 or more Tests, that is the third-highest batting average in history, behind Australian great Don Bradman (52 Tests from 1928 to 1948, 99.94 average) and New Zealand's Stewie Dempster (10 Tests from 1930 to 1933, 65.72 average).

Blackwood scored 104, his first century in five years as he an Alzarri Joseph, who produced a career-best 86, put on an outstanding 155-run seventh-wicket partnership that was more than half the West Indies total of 247.

Despite the heavy loss of an innings and 134 runs, the 29-year-old middle order batsman said he was happy to have been able to score a century for his team. In 32 Tests, Blackwood has been dismissed in the 90s on three separate occasions. In October 2015, he was out for 92 against Sri Lanka. Against Pakistan he was dismissed for 95 in October 2016 and this past summer, in July he was out for 95 against England.

On Saturday, he said, he was ready to go all the way.

“This time it was less pressure. I felt less pressure this time around when I was in the 90s. I was more confident in myself that I could get the job done, and to be able to score a hundred for myself and my team, it’s a very good feeling,” Blackwood said after the match, adding that he put the necessary work it to be able to achieve this milestone.

“I worked hard and I trusted my preparation because I think my preparation was good leading into the series.”

He thanked the West Indies coaching staff whom he said helped him prepare for the conditions that confronted him when the West Indies went into bat after New Zealand had made 519 for 7 on a green pitch at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

“(They) kept feeding me a lot of short balls, good length deliveries. You can see out in the middle I am more comfortable to the short stuff as well so it’s a good sign going forward,” he said.

He said he was not intimidated by the nature of the pitch as he was used to similar type of pitches back home in Jamaica.

“I play on a lot of bouncy tracks at Sabina Park, so to come and see this green track it didn’t faze me too much,” he said.

“I just think to stay positive, the right frame of mind, try to play the ball as late as possible, watch the ball and play each ball on its merit.”

The home team won the opening game by 101 runs late on the fifth day in Mount Maunganui, finally seeing off spirited resistance from Pakistan's tail with 4.3 overs remaining.

Victory means the Black Caps have now won five Tests on the spin – they have never previously managed six in a row in the format.

There will be at least one change to their team for their first outing in 2021, Neil Wagner ruled out with a broken toe.

The left-arm paceman played on through the pain in the first Test, earning praise from Williamson. However, he is expected to be sidelined for six weeks, leading to New Zealand calling up Matt Henry.

As for Pakistan, they are set to be boosted by the return of captain Babar Azam, who missed the previous game – as well as the Twenty20 series that preceded the Test action – with a broken thumb.

Without their talismanic captain, the tourists were fragile at the top of the order. They fought back well from 52-5 to post 239 in their first innings, while nearly saved the game despite slipping to 37-3 second time around.

They will be up against it, though; New Zealand have lost only one of their previous seven Tests played at Hagley Oval, a seven-wicket defeat to Australia in February 2016.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Williamson had a fabulous 2020 in Test cricket, despite the international schedule being badly hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The right-hander had the highest average (83) in the format across the previous calendar year out of those players to have had at least four innings, with his knock of 129 in the first Test – combined with Steve Smith's struggles for runs against India – moving him back to the top of the ICC world rankings for Test batsmen.

A career-best score of 251 against West Indies substantially helped his cause. That was his only innings in the series too, as he missed the second Test due to the birth of his first child.

PAKISTAN SET FOR BABAR BOOST

The tourists felt the absence of their captain in the series opener and still almost fought their way to a draw.

Mohammad Rizwan, who was the skipper in the first Test, said Babar was on track for a return, but a decision would have to wait until Sunday.

"He is fine now. He wants to hit some more balls in the nets and we'll decide [on Sunday]," he said, via the New Zealand Herald. "He's a legend and wants to hit some more balls because [on Friday] he batted very well. If he plays, we bat around him. He has a great impact on our team."

Babar, 26, averages 45.44 in 29 Tests for Pakistan, who are aiming to level the series.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- New Zealand will be looking to win a third consecutive multi-game bilateral Test series against Pakistan.
- Pakistan are winless in their past 10 Tests outside their own country (D2, L8). However, their last such victory did come against New Zealand, by an innings and 16 runs (November 2018 in Dubai).
- Tom Latham has scored 579 Test runs at Hagley Oval, 214 more than any other player at the venue and his second most at any ground in the format (696 at Basin Reserve).
- Ross Taylor is 13 away from becoming just the fifth player to score 1,000 runs in Tests between New Zealand and Pakistan. He would be only the second Kiwi to achieve the feat (after Williamson).
- Tim Southee has a bowling average of 19.9 in Tests at Hagley Oval, his best at any home venue. He has picked up five or more wickets in six of his seven appearances at the venue.

The New Zealand all-rounder played 29 Tests, 45 ODIs and 41 T20Is over a 10-year career.

De Grandhomme averaged 38.7 in the longest format, including two centuries, as well as taking 49 wickets.

However, at 36, he has decided "this is the right time to finish" and agreed a release from his central contract with the Black Caps.

"I accept that I am not getting any younger and that the training is getting harder, particularly with the injuries," De Grandhomme said in a statement.

"I also have a growing family and am trying to understand what my future looks like post-cricket. All of this has been on my mind over the past few weeks.

"I've been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to play for the Black Caps since debuting in 2012, and I'm proud of my international career – but I feel this is the right time to finish."

De Grandhomme pulled up on the third day of the first Test at Lord's, which England won by five wickets thanks to Joe Root's majestic unbeaten 115 in the fourth innings.

The Black Caps man, who top-scored in New Zealand's first innings with 42 not out and picked up match figures 1-27 from his 11.5 overs, left the field for treatment on Saturday and did not return.

De Grandhomme could have added another crucial wicket to his tally but overstepped when bowling England captain Stokes, on 1, with the hosts languishing at 79-4 chasing 277 to win.

But De Grandhomme will play no further part in the series after scans revealed a tear in his right heel. All-rounder Michael Bracewell, who was with the squad for the first Test as cover for Henry Nicholls, has been added to the squad as a replacement, with the second Test to start at Trent Bridge on Friday.

"It's a real shame for Colin to suffer this injury so early in the series," Black Caps coach Gary Stead said.

"He's a massive part of our Test side and we'll certainly miss him.

"It's great to be able to call on someone like Michael who's been with the squad for the past month and is match ready."

Stead confirmed De Grandhomme is likely to miss the next 10 to 12 weeks, which would rule him out white-ball tours to Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands alongside the Test series with England.

England hammered India by 10 wickets at the semi-final stage before beating Pakistan at the MCG on Sunday to lift the trophy for a second time.

The Black Caps missed out once again when they lost to Pakistan in the semi-final, having been runners-up to Australia in Dubai last year.

India will be without captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul for three matches against New Zealand in the shortest format, as the experienced trio have been given a post-World Cup rest.

Hardik Pandya will skipper the tourists, with VVS Laxman filling in as head coach as Rahul Dravid is also absent.

Laxman wants to see the India players express themselves in a series that gets under way at Westpac Stadium

He said: "It is important to be flexible. I think in T20 cricket, you are required to express yourself and that is when you will be successful. I think T20 cricket has shown us over the years that the more amount of multi-dimensional players you have, the better for the team.

"You have bowlers who can bat, and batters who can bowl, and that is the way forward. That has already been proven in T20 cricket, the more number of bowlers who can bat will add depth to the team and it allows a lot of freedom for the batters to express themselves.

"That is the need for the format and I am sure more and more teams will try to get that into their selection process and identify players who are multi-dimensional players."

New Zealand have won their past four multi-game bilateral T20I series and will attempt to extend that to five for the first time, with India being the last team to beat them in a series with a 3-0 success a year ago.

No Boult to strike for Black Caps

Trent Boult was not included in the New Zealand squad after a request to be released from his central contract was accepted in August.

They still possess a strong attack in his absence, with Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson set to be unleashed and Adam Milne back in the fold along with Blair Tickner

Experienced opener Martin Guptill was overlooked once again, with Finn Allen keeping his spot at the top of the order.

India need Pant back to his explosive best

Rishabh Pant only played twice in the World Cup, making three against Zimbabwe before falling for only nine in the crushing semi-final loss at the hands of England.

Dinesh Karthik had been preferred to Pant, but the experienced wicketkeeper-batter is not in the squad to face New Zealand.

Pant is only 30 runs short of becoming 11th player to score 1,000 runs for India in men’s T20Is and India will need him to explode into life.

Black Caps skipper Williamson sits out the first of three T20s following the birth of his first child, but will be available for the remainder of the series.

Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Daryl Mitchell also miss the opener at Eden Park, so soon after New Zealand sealed a crushing Test series whitewash of West Indies this week.

Mitchell Santner captains New Zealand for the first match of the series, which Lockie Ferguson misses with a partial stress fracture in his lumbar spine, in Auckland.

A fractured thumb keeps Babar out of the series, so Shadab Khan - who has been struggling with a groin injury - steps up to lead his country.

Seamer Jacob Duffy is set to make his New Zealand debut and will be looking to give another demonstration of the Black Caps' strength in depth ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup next year.

"It's amazing how many people reach out when you sort of get the call-up," Southlander Duffy, Otago's white-ball skipper, said. "No, it's pretty exciting, especially for a small community like that.

"I've really enjoyed growing up there, playing all my cricket there, and a little bit of Hawke Cup cricket and stuff. People down there are really fizzed. I remember they were fizzed up when I first played for Otago, so this is another step-up and it's really cool."

MORE FIREWORKS FROM PHILLIPS AND CONWAY?

Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway unsurprisingly retain their place in the New Zealand squad after their heroics in a T20 series-clinching drubbing of the Windies.

Phillips smashed a 46-ball century - the quickest by a New Zealander in T20Is - and Conway blasted 65 not out in 72-run hammering in Mount Maunganui at the end of last month.

Their brutal 183-run stand was a world record for the third wicket in the shortest format at international level.

Phillips also took two catches and affected a run out after making 108 off just 51 balls - hitting eight sixes and 10 boundaries in a devastating knock.

The in-form 24-year-old has since made 136 opening for New Zealand A in a four-day match against their Windies counterparts, so Pakistan's bowlers will not be queueing up to bowl at him

PAKISTAN MUST SHOW THEY CAN COPE WITHOUT BABAR 

The absence of Babar is a massive blow for Pakistan, who sealed a T20I whitewash of Zimbabwe last month.

Babar, second in the T20I batting rankings behind England's Dawid Malan, has delivered time again for his country but the tourists will have to show they can cope without him against high-class opposition.

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf knows he will have to offer more than just sheer pace to do damage against the Black Caps.

"I have a clear mindset with my pace and 140+ [kph] is my average speed. But with Waqar Younis [Pakistan bowling coach], I think he is all in for pace, [and he] keeps on empathising [with me] while making me work on my line and length.

"There are so many things I am learning from him, like bowling yorkers using the crease, and he was best at it. I understand these days [with] the kind of cricket being played, I can't be predictable with my pace. You obviously have to keep on evolving with the other stocks. Bowling with pace is okay, but bowling slower ones with different lines are the points of discussion with Waqar. I am learning in practice and applying in games."

KEY OPTA FACTS

- Pakistan have won their last two bilateral T20I series against New Zealand. they are yet to win more consecutive series against the Black Caps in this format
- New Zealand had lost four consecutive T20I matches at Eden Park before beating West Indies in November.
- Pakistan are winless in their last three bilateral series away from home, losing two and drawing one. They had won seven in a row prior to that.
- Martin Guptill has scored 463 runs in T20Is between New Zealand and Pakistan, the most by any player, including four half-centuries – his joint-most against any side in the format (England being the other).
- Mohammad Hafeez has scored 412 runs against New Zealand in T20I cricket, the most by a Pakistan player against any country.

The batter discovered he has contracted COVID-19 after taking a PCR test on arrival in London ahead of a team activity on Wednesday and will spend five days in isolation.

All-rounder Michael Bracewell has also tested positive following the Black Caps' defeat to England in the second Test at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

New Zealand physio Vijay Vallabh and strength and conditioning coach Chris Donaldson have also returned positive tests.

The tourists have no plans to call up replacements ahead of the third and final match of the Test series, which starts at Headingley next Thursday.

England won the series by chasing down a target of 299 to win by five wickets at Trent Bridge, Jonny Bairstow scoring a magnificent century.

Captain Kane Williamson was ruled out of the second Test in Nottingham after testing positive for coronavirus.

Mitchell has been ruled out of the T20 Tri-Series encounters with Pakistan and Bangladesh, having taken a blow on his right hand while batting in the nets.

The 31-year-old has broken his fifth metacarpal and Blacks Caps physio Theo Kapakoulakis confirmed he wear a cast for at least two weeks.

New Zealand will face hosts and holders Australia at the SCG in their first game of the World Cup in a repeat of last year's final on October 22.

Black Caps head coach Gary Stead will not rush into deciding whether Mitchell will fly out with the squad on October 15.

"It's a real shame for Daryl to suffer this injury on the eve of an exciting period of cricket for the side," Stead said.

"Daryl's become a really important player to our T20 unit and we're certainly going to miss his all-round skills and versatility in the Tri-Series.

"With our first game of the World Cup in just over two weeks we need to take some to consider Daryl's recovery timeline and his potential involvement in the tournament."

The paceman turned down his central contract in August but has still appeared for the Black Caps in white-ball cricket since.

Boult is set to spend the start of 2023 in franchise cricket, with the fast bowler set to depart the Big Bash League for a stint in the inaugural ILT20 League in the United Arab Emirates.

With the competition scheduled to end only four days before New Zealand host Ben Stokes' side at Mount Maunganui for the first of two Tests, Stead does not see Boult playing a part.

"No, I wouldn't have thought so," he said. "Trent and I have had discussions.

"I think his return from the UAE would only be a day or two immediately prior. I think from a workload perspective that's out of the picture."

Stead offered a promising update on Kyle Jamieson, who has not played competitive cricket since a back injury sustained against England in June last year.

He is set to appear in the Super Smash over the next week, though the Stead could make no promises about his inclusion in the wider red-ball picture.

"We'll make a decision a little bit closer to the time around the England series, whether that is maybe a step too far, or whether it is the right time for him to play again," he said.

"He's been out of cricket for a long time now and I think it would be silly to push too quickly and set him back again with the long-term plan of what's ahead of us."

The paceman pulled up on day three of the Black Caps' second Test and only returned on day five for a brief cameo with the bat as hosts England won a superb encounter by five wickets.

Jamieson, who had been the best of the tourists' bowlers with figures of 2-20 and 4-79 in the first Test at Lord's, is expected to return home now, with a view to a return in September or October.

Quick bowler Blair Tickner, who was part of the Test team for New Zealand's early tour games, will arrive as Jamieson's replacement, while Neil Wagner - yet to feature in the series - is also in the squad.

"It's always sad to see players forced to leave a tour early with injury," coach Gary Stead said.

"Kyle had played such a big role in the first Test at Lord's and I know how disappointed he was to have had his involvement in the second Test curtailed.

"He's obviously a huge asset for us and we'll be making sure we are patient with his recovery to ensure he returns fully fit with plenty more important cricket still to come later this year."

Dane Cleaver meanwhile has received his first Test call as a replacement for back up wicket-keeper Cam Fletcher, who has also been ruled out of the tour with a hamstring strain.

New Zealand may be boosted by the return of skipper Kane Williamson, though, ahead of their trip to Leeds on June 23, after the captain sat out the second Test having recorded a positive Covid-19 case.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stated its disappointment after New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the team would be returning home.

Pakistan and the Black Caps were due to meet in three ODIs and five T20Is, with the first fixture set for Friday in Rawalpindi, but the entire tour has been called off.

Neither team left their hotel on Friday morning and spectators were not allowed to enter the stadium.

A statement from NZC declared the team had decided to withdraw from the tour "following an escalation in the New Zealand government threat levels for Pakistan, and advice from NZC security advisors on the ground".

NZC chief executive David White said: "I understand this will be a blow for the PCB, who have been wonderful hosts, but player safety is paramount and we believe this is the only responsible option."

The PCB did not agree with NZC's decision, however, insisting the Pakistan government had been in contact with New Zealand's government to appease any fears over the security and safety of the travelling party.

"Earlier today, New Zealand Cricket informed us they had been alerted to some security alert and have unilaterally decided to postpone the series," a PCB statement read.

"Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan government made foolproof security arrangements for all visiting teams. We have assured New Zealand Cricket of the same. The Pakistan prime minister [Imran Khan] spoke personally to the prime minister of New Zealand [Jacinda Ardern] and informed her that we have one of the best intelligence systems in the world and that no security threat of any kind exists for the visiting team.

"The security officials with the New Zealand team have been satisfied with security arrangements made by the Pakistan government throughout their stay here.

"PCB is willing to continue the scheduled matches. However, cricket lovers in Pakistan and around the world will be disappointed by this last-minute withdrawal."

Pakistan did not host Test matches from 2009 to 2019 after a terror attack on the touring Sri Lanka team, which left six players, two staff members and an umpire wounded, and eight others – six Pakistani police officers and two civilians – dead.

The 31-year-old missed last year's World Cup due to a calf tear and, after a minor abdominal injury, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has suggested Ferguson could miss the ongoing tri-series in Christchurch.

The Blackcaps are already without Daryl Mitchell after the batter fractured his hand in training on Friday, while spinner Mitchell Santner will join the squad on Sunday after a paternity break.

"Lockie has a little ab injury at the moment. We're just managing that and the most important thing is we get to the start of the World Cup and Lockie is ready to go," Stead said.

"He's a very, very important cog in our bowling line-up. Unfortunately for him, he missed last year's World Cup with the injury he had then.

"I mean we are mindful of it and we want to make sure that he's right and ready for those early games in the World Cup.

"There is that chance [of him missing the entire tri-series]. We will just see how he responds to treatment over the next few days."

Adam Milne is another Blackcaps bowler to suffer from persistent injury issues, with New Zealand aiming to rebuild the 30-year-old's fitness ahead of the World Cup later this month.

"It's the first time I've had eyes live on Milne at the nets and he looked really good," Stead said.

"We're pleased with what we are seeing there and again he is coming off a reasonably extensive injury break as well, so just managing him and making sure he's right will be the most important thing for us in these four games."

While New Zealand scramble for options in their fast-bowling department, Mitchell hopes to be back in action ahead of the first game of the T20 World Cup against Australia on October 22.

"Obviously, not ideal timing, but we've got some good news around where the fracture is in the hand and the time frame to be ready for the first game in Australia in a couple of weeks' time," Mitchell told Spark Sport on the sidelines of New Zealand's tri-series opener against Pakistan on Saturday.

"We'll do everything we can to try and be ready and fingers crossed that I'll be good to go."

Neil Southee added to his two day-two wickets with three more to complete a five-wicket haul as the Proteas capitulated to be all out for 111.

The triumph was New Zealand's first in the Test arena against South Africa since 2004, remarkably dating back 16 matches.

Yet it could not be more dominant, with South Africa bowled out for 95 in the first innings, with the Black Caps responding with 482 led by Henry Nicholls' century.

Black Caps captain Tom Latham said: "It's a fantastic performance. Winning the toss was a big part of it. It's probably the perfect performance."

New Zealand quick Matt Henry was named Player of the Match after claiming the opening wicket on the third day bowling Rassie van der Dussen, to finish with 2-32 to go with his first-innings seven-wicket haul and unbeaten 58*.

South Africa offered minimal resistance after resuming at 34-3, trailing by 353 runs, lasting only 41.4 overs in the second innings with Temba Bavuma top scoring with 41.

Bavuma teamed up with wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (30) for a sixth-wicket stand that offered hope of any semblance of a rearguard but he fell lbw to Neil Wagner (2-19), prompting a swift collapse.

The Proteas lost 24-5 upon Bavuma's dismissal, with Southee finishing with figures of 5-35, including the final scalp of Glenton Stuurman after a successful review to seal victory.

Southee also surpassed Richard Hadlee as New Zealand's all-time leading wicket-taker in Test cricket on home soil.

South Africa slumps to second-worst loss

It was a dismal defeat for South Africa, whose batsmen struggled throughout the contest, managing only 206 runs for the game. The loss was the tourists' second-biggest ever in Test cricket.

No Proteas' batsman managed a half-century while Bavuma and Verreynne's 41-run partnership was the side's best for the game.

Headaches for dominant Black Caps 

Reigning ICC Test world champions New Zealand are well placed to clinch the two-game series, barring a stunning turnaround in the second Test starting on Friday, also at Christchurch's Hagley Oval.

The Black Caps will have selection headaches for the second Test, with Trent Boult due to return from paternity leave, while Henry impressed covering for him and likely is not droppable.

India, who trail the series 1-0, made the better start to the day at Hagley Oval, taking a seven-run first-innings lead after bowling the Black Caps out for 235.

New Zealand had resumed at 63-0 and appearing on track to charge past India's first-innings total of 242.

However, after their fightback, the tourists were reduced to 90-6 at stumps in their second innings, a lead of just 97, as the bowlers dominated.

Trent Boult (3-12) did most of the damage for New Zealand, landing the first blow when he trapped Mayank Agarwal (3) lbw.

A short delivery from Tim Southee (1-20) removed Prithvi Shaw, but India seemed to be steadying through Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli.

But Colin de Grandhomme (1-3) struck the huge blow, getting Kohli lbw for 14 to reduce India to 51-3.

De Grandhomme dropped Ajinkya Rahane on two but it did not hurt the Black Caps, the India batsman bizarrely playing a Neil Wagner (1-18) short ball onto his stumps.

Boult produced a beautiful inswinger to remove Pujara (24) before also bowling Umesh Yadav (1) as New Zealand closed in on victory.

Earlier, Mohammed Shami (4-81) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-62) had helped India fight back after New Zealand's bright start to their first innings.

Tom Latham (52) and Kyle Jamieson (49) top-scored for the Black Caps, while Ravindra Jadeja produced an incredible catch to remove Wagner (21).

Jadeja stuck out a hand as he jumped near the boundary to hold onto a powerful Wagner pull shot.

That moment of brilliance came as India looked on top, but New Zealand's finish to the day has them on track for a 2-0 series win.

ICC World Test Championship-winning New Zealand posted 362 in their first innings at Chelmsford before declaring, with the County Select XI managing 247 in response – a deficit of 115.

However, New Zealand were caught cold on Saturday as Jamie Porter (5-31) starred to reduce the visitors to 19-6, with Kane Williamson, Will Young and Tom Blundell all dismissed for nought.

Fellow top-order batters Tom Latham (four) and Devon Conway (five) struggled in similar fashion, before the lower order of Tim Southee (34), Neil Wagner (36) and Kyle Jamieson (36) dragged New Zealand to 148 all out.

The in-form Ben Compton, who is the leading run-scorer in the County Championship this season with 864 in six games for Kent, finished unbeaten on 56 from 145 balls as the County Select XI made a bright start to their chase of 264.

Former England opener Dom Sibley also made 34 before falling to Ajaz Patel (1-12), leaving Compton and Tom Haines (12 not out) at the crease, with the Country Select XI requiring a further 152 for victory on the fourth and final day.

New Zealand will then have three days' rest before opening their three-Test series against England at Lord's on Thursday, with new Test coach Brendon McCullum set to face his home country in his first game in charge.