New Zealand have two chances to win their T20 series against Pakistan after they dominated the opening game and the first of those opportunities comes around on Thursday when the two sides meet in Auckland.
Pakistan have had a wretched tour so far but they have two matches left to get something out of it. The question is whether they have the mental strength to fight because New Zealand would love another whitewash.
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New Zealand
It wasn’t a perfect performance from New Zealand in the opening match of the series. If it was they would have won by 10 wickets but they didn’t, they lost three scalps chasing down a modest total. That gives them something to improve on and that is never a bad thing in this day and age where the relentless grind of international cricket can get monotonous.
While they are doing it to keep everyone fresh it is probably helping their cricket that they are making changes regularly as it avoids anyone getting stale mentally as well as jaded physically. Whoever is bowling for them seems to be bowling so well that New Zealand really are a tough side to beat these days.
Pakistan
Whether it happens in the lead up to this match or when they get back home there has to be some serious looking in the mirrors to be done by the Pakistan players. While they have been outplayed and in truth outclassed in the series so far they have done little to give themselves a chance and that is hard to take.
The same mistakes have been made all the time and they have been four and five down for nothing as a result. I would like to see them play themselves in with the bat and maybe see off the initial spell from the bowlers before catching up when they are in. The expansive game just does not work against this New Zealand attack.
Team News
New Zealand are bringing Kane Williamson and Trent Boult back into their side for this match which is likely to make them even harder to beat. It is Tim Southee who will rest up during this game after captaining the side in the first game.
Pakistan left Ahmed Shehzad out of the first match for some reason but they can’t do that again here. He and Mohammad Hafeez are likely to come back in to bolster the batting if nothing else.
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Betting
I expect New Zealand to win this match and I expect them to win it fairly comfortably too by Twenty20 standards but they are too short to back even allowing for how dominant they have been since Pakistan landed so I’ll go to the side markets for a bet.
Eden Park is much smaller than the Westpac Stadium especially straight down the ground and yet we saw seven sixes in the opening match when Pakistan never showed up with the bat. That makes me think we will get 13 sixes in this one. Pakistan can’t be as bad with the bat again and even if they are some of the shots that went for 4 in Wellington will be six here. If New Zealand bat first they could threaten this total on their own but with Pakistan likely to be stronger with the bat, on paper at least, we should get 13 sixes.
The last few matches on this ground have seen sixes totals of 16, 15, 16, 15 and 23 and in two of those innings teams didn’t make 110 so even if Pakistan flounder again with the bat we can get 13 sixes.
Tips
WON – Back Over 12.5 sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Paddy Power
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