After a heavily one-sided T20 series, Pakistan continue their white ball tour of New Zealand with some ODIs, the first of which comes along on Saturday, beginning in the late evening on Friday in the UK when the sides open things up in Napier.
This is a three-match series which you would have to say carries little in the way of context with the next 50 over global event two years away but it might throw up the chance for someone to make a name for themselves even this far out.
New Zealand
Much like was the case for those T20s recently, New Zealand are very much understrength going into these ODI matches. Everyone who was at the IPL remains there plus they are carrying a couple of injuries too which doesn’t help matters. Therefore you would imagine it will take a pretty good effort for the Kiwis to come out on top here, even allowing for the fact that they are in their own conditions and will at least know how the wickets play and what to expect and things.
When we look down the squad that New Zealand have for this match I think it is fair to say that the bowling resources look more experienced for the level than some of the batters. The likes of Daryl Mitchell will be key with the bat and if he can guide this younger batting unit through the 50 overs then there is still a chance that the hosts can be competitive at the very least. You get the impression that they are going to need their bowlers to be bang on it though.
Pakistan
Unlike in the T20 series, Pakistan have some of their bigger guns back for these ODI matches so they are doing things the other way around. Whatever the whys and wherefores of that are, they do look a much stronger outfit going into these 50 over clashes than they did the 20 over ones and it will be interesting to see whether that is the way this game plays out. The one negative could be that those players coming in cold might need a run out in these conditions before we see the best of them.
The one thing we can say with some relative confidence, as much as you can be confident where Pakistan are concerned, is that they should be much better with the bat in this series than they were in the T20s. The plan they came with in those matches was encouraging but they weren’t good enough to fulfil it. They have ideal batters to bat at the pace they like to in 50 over cricket. This isn’t a full strength Pakistan bowling unit though which could be a difference maker.
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Team News
There will be no Matt Henry or Tom Latham for New Zealand in this series so Michael Bracewell will continue to skipper the side. Daryl Mitchell, Will Young, Henry Nicholls and Will O’Rourke make up the majority of the senior contingent here.
Pakistan will be bringing the likes of Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan back into their side for these ODI matches but there is no Shaheen Shah Afridi or Haris Rauf so Naseem Shah could lead an inexperienced attack.
Betting
When you consider that the stronger New Zealand side found Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed hard to handle in the three recent ODI matches these two played in Pakistan last month, it stands to reason that a weakened batting order could be found a little wanting against the two and if that pair can get into the inexperienced players and open an end up then Pakistan should be good enough to come out on top in the first match here.
There is no doubt in my mind that Pakistan are better suited to playing 50 over cricket than 20 over stuff. Their batters have more time and can show their class rather than looking for brute power that not all of them have and their bowlers can work their way into spells. I think 6/4 on the tourists is a little too big based on the strength of the sides here. I expect much more from Pakistan in 50 overs than 20 while at the same time I wonder if New Zealand have one rookie or inexperienced player too many. The one niggle is that some of the Pakistan players might need a run but if just one of those big three get in and bat like they can then the visitors should have too much here. This is a side who not too long ago won a series in South Africa so despite a disappointing Champions Trophy I’m not ready to write them off just yet.
Tips
Back Pakistan to beat New Zealand for a 3/10 stake at 2.50 with Betfred
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