KARACHI: Pakistan and New Zealand will meet in Karachi today (Monday) in the first match of a three-match One Day International series with an eye on this year’s World Cup in India.
The previous Test series between the two teams failed to produce a result in either one — both in Karachi — ending a miserable season for both teams.
Pakistan failed to win any of the three-Test series at home, losing four of the 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 perform well in limited overs matches.
“Pakistan have proven themselves to be a good white-ball team, and this series gives us a great launching pad to start our World Cup preparations,” said Azam of the World Cup in October/November.
Azam’s side won eight ODIs last year, including a 2-1 series win at home against a formidable Australia.
“We are a good team with solid batsmen and bowlers who have proven themselves time and again so I am confident of a good performance in the upcoming series,” Azam said.
Pakistan will miss pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is recovering from a knee injury sustained in November last year, while spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan is also ruled out with a recent finger fracture.
Opener Fakhar Zaman will bolster the batting line-up, while Haris Sohail has also been recalled after two years.
New Zealand, 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.
Williamson has stepped down from Test captaincy and is also focusing on the World Cup.
“I felt it was better to continue captaining the white-ball formats with two World Cups in the next two years,” he said last month, referring to the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups.
The successful batsman acknowledged the strength of Pakistan.
“Pakistan is a very strong side and naturally knows these conditions very well,” Williamson said.
“For us as a team the focus is on the cricket we want to play and trying to do a bit better.”
New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry has also been ruled out of the ODIs due to a stomach ailment on the final day of the drawn second Test.
For various reasons, they are already missing the pace trio of Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Adam Mullen.
The remaining matches will be played in Karachi on Wednesday and Friday.
Teams:
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), 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
Pakistan: 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, Usama Mir
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Asif Yaqoob (PAK)
TV umpire: Ahsan Raza (PAK)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
