New Zealand’s unbeaten run in this ICC ODI World Cup came to an end when they fell victim to hosts India in the fifth game. Since then, the Black Caps have failed to secure a single win in the tournament, losing to Australia and South Africa respectively. Following a hat-trick of defeats, New Zealand are desperate to bounce back as they gear up to go head-to-head against Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup fixture. The big-ticket clash will be hosted at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on November 4. Once a constant at the top of the table, New Zealand are now fourth in the standings with 8 points in 7 matches.
ICC World Cup: Schedule | Results | Points Table | Most Runs | Most Wickets
In their last outing against South Africa, the Kiwis faced a massive collapse in batting. While chasing a mammoth target of 358 runs, the Tom Latham-led side was bundled out for 167 runs. Meanwhile, Pakistan finally returned to winning ways in their last match after enduring four consecutive defeats. Babar Azam and Co got the better of Bangladesh in Kolkata to keep their hopes alive for the knockout stage. The Pakistani bowling unit dished out their A-game, restricting Bangladesh to a below-par total of 204 runs. Pakistan didn’t have much trouble during the chase and won the match by 7 wickets.
Pitch Report:
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is recognised as a heaven for batters as the wicket possesses favourable bounce. The boundaries are also quite short on both sides, enabling batters to play their shots freely. Pacers can be dangerous during the powerplay when the ball remains new. Spinners can be used in the middle overs to restrict the run flow. Going by the nature of the Bengaluru track, we can expect a high-scoring battle between New Zealand and Pakistan.
Weather Report:
The weather in Bengaluru is expected to remain overcast on November 4. There is also a chance of rain spoiling the party during the World Cup match between New Zealand and Pakistan. The temperature could hover around 20 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius, while the humidity is anticipated to be around 73-89 percent. The wind speed will be around 12-16 km/h during the 50-over clash.
New Zealand vs Pakistan ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Full Squads:
New Zealand Full Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young
Pakistan Full Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim