New Zealand have continued their emphatic dominance over Pakistan in their ODI series and on Thursday into Friday UK time they will look to complete a series whitewash when the two teams do battle for the fifth and final time.
The series has gone full circle. Having started in Wellington that is exactly where it finishes too with Pakistan looking for a consolation victory to give them something to build from for the upcoming T20 matches.
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New Zealand
Whether they have batted first or batted second New Zealand have completely dominated the series. They are in really good form on their own patch at the minute and you can just see the confidence bursting out of them. It might be that they are the biggest dangers to themselves in terms of getting overconfident.
I always think it is the sign of a good side when a number of players play key roles in different matches and that is what has happened for New Zealand. They have had five or six players how have made a maximum impact on the series and they are one win away from completing a series whitewash which would be some result.
Pakistan
The touring Pakistan side went into this series looking to confirm their status as a much improved side on the back of winning the Champions Trophy but if we are being brutally honest they have been outclassed and blown away right from the very first match in the series. They need to find it in themselves to forget what has gone and concentrate on what is ahead.
The big problem that Pakistan have is that nothing has worked for them in this series. Sometimes you can be beaten but still have one facet of the game working nicely but they don’t have that luxury. Their bowling has been carted more than we are used to and their top order has been regularly blown away.
Team News
New Zealand have decided to give Trent Boult the match off here. Seth Royce has replaced him in the squad and he is likely to make his ODI debut. Todd Astle could come back in with the wicket in the first game taking turn.
Pakistan will definitely be without Shoaib Malik who is out with an injury that he sustained in the previous match. Azhar Ali could move back up the order after the Faheem Ashraf experiment never really worked.
Basin Reserve
Nothing really has changed from the write up I did on the first match of the series with regards to the Basin Reserve. We saw the wicket a little on the slow side in the first game here and I wouldn’t think too much has changed in the time since.
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Betting
New Zealand have dominated this series and although it is a dead rubber I see no reason why the pattern will not continue. You can’t win ODI matches if your top order keeps getting blown to pieces and that is what continually has happened for Pakistan in this series. They clearly realise that hence their experiment in the previous game but there was no solution.
New Zealand are just the better side here. They have a confidence about them that is strong and they have plenty of motivation to keep on winning with plenty more cricket to come this summer. I expect them to win here and do so by a big margin once again.
Tips
Back New Zealand (-5.5wickets/35.5runs) to beat Pakistan for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Bet365
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