Players of Pakistan and New Zealand congratulate each other after their second Test match ended in a draw at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday. , Photo Credit: ANI
Keeping in mind the World Cup to be held in India this year, Pakistan and New Zealand will lock horns in the first of three One Day Internationals in Karachi on Monday.
The previous Test series between the two teams failed to produce any result in either of the two Test matches in Karachi – ending a miserable season for both teams.
Pakistan failed to win any of their three Test series at home, losing four out of eight Tests, including their first 3–0 whitewash at the hands of England.
New Zealand also failed to win any of their last six Tests. But Babar Azam is confident that his team will do well in limited overs matches.
“Pakistan have proven themselves to be a good white-ball team and this series provides us with an ideal launching pad to kickstart our World Cup preparations,” said Azam of the World Cup in October/November.
Azam’s team won eight out of nine ODIs last year, including a 2-1 series win over mighty Australia at home.
“We are a good team with solid batsmen and bowlers who have proved themselves time and again, so I am confident of doing well in the coming series,” Azam said.
Pakistan will miss fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is recovering from a knee injury sustained in November last year, while spin all-rounder Shadab Khan was also recently ruled out with a fractured finger.
Opener Fakhar Zaman will strengthen the batting, as will Haris Sohail – recalled after two years.
New Zealand, the runners-up in the last World Cup in 2019, won ten of their 16 ODIs last year and have a strong unit led by Kane Williamson. They have been dominant against Pakistan, winning 12 of the last 15 ODIs between the two teams.
Leaving the Test captaincy, Williamson is also focusing on the World Cup.
“I thought it would be better to continue captaining in the white-ball format with two World Cups in the next two years,” he said last month, referring to the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups.
The accomplished batsman acknowledged the might of Pakistan.
“Pakistan is a very strong side and naturally knows these conditions very well,” Williamson said.
“For us as a team it’s just focussing on the cricket we want to play and try to get some better performances.”
New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry has also been ruled out of the ODIs due to an abdominal strain on the final day of the drawn second Test.
They are already missing the trio of Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Adam Milne for various reasons. The remaining matches are also in Karachi on Wednesday and Friday.
teams
new zealandSquad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham, Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner
PakistanSquad: Babar Azam (Captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Agha Salman, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Usma Mir
the umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan)
tv umpire: Ahsan Raza (Pakistan)
match referee: David Boon (Australia)