New Zealand continue their busy summer over the next week when they take on Pakistan in three T20 matches which will provide good preparation for the World T20 which is closing in fast now.
The Kiwis will be up to speed in this format of the game having just battered Sri Lanka in two matches over this format last week and you get the feeling they will up the intensity now with the main tournament in India getting ever closer.
Pakistan will be playing 20 over cricket for the first time since their 3-0 series defeat against England in the UAE before Christmas. Those three defeats came off the back of six wins in a row in this format so if they can settle into the conditions quickly there is no reason why they can’t be competitive in these matches.
These two sides have played each other 11 times in this format of the game over time and it is Pakistan who have the edge in those meetings. They have seven wins to New Zealand’s four.
New Zealand are going into this series with the same squad they used for the Sri Lanka series with the exception of the call up for Todd Astle. His leg spin will be tested to the full against a side at home against spin. Ish Sodhi is the man who missed out.
The talk surrounding the Pakistan team will focus around one man and that is the return to international cricket of the much maligned Mohammad Amir. Umar Akmal has a suspension impending but has been cleared to at least start the series if not finish it.
New Zealand are heavily weighted to win this series according to the betting odds but I think this will be much more competitive than their series with Sri Lanka was. It might be that New Zealand win the series. They might even win it 3-0 but these should be close matches so I see no real value there.
In fact I don’t see a huge amount of value in many of the markets going into this series but there is one punt I can’t refuse and the comes in the Top Pakistan Series Bowler market.
Wahab Riaz is a world class bowler and there is no disputing that and I wouldn’t dismiss him as a favourite but while he might be controversial and polarise opinion I can’t ignore Mohammad Amir here.
Amir is such a talented bowler and for all the wrongs and the past that has gone on he’ll probably never regain popularity but betting isn’t a popularity contest so I’m going to focus purely on his technical attributes and he has shown since he came out of prison he has lost none of his bowling skill.
He’s been away long enough that the New Zealand batsmen might not be used to him but he has that left arm angle which is awkward and all the varieties needed to succeed at this level and at 7/2 he’s my pick given that he’ll open the bowling and come back at the death.
Back M.Amir Top Pakistan Series Bowler for a 2/10 stake at 4.50 with Bet365
