It is not just Australia where an ODI series decider will be going down on Sunday. There will be one in the UAE too where Pakistan and New Zealand will settle their scores in a winner takes all clash in Dubai as well.
Pakistan levelled the scores with a win in the second ODI in Abu Dhabi on Friday so both teams will be eager to go into the Test matches with the ODIs to their name. Both matches have been very competitive at times so far. This one should follow suit.
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Pakistan
To be fair to Pakistan they handled the pressure of having to chase down a score to win the second ODI nicely. We should be open about it and state that it wasn’t the stiffest chase in the world but the runs still needed to be scored, and they were, and they were hit without too much fuss or too much pressure building on them which will be encouraging.
The other thing which will have pleased the Pakistan team is how well they bowled throughout their innings. They got stuck in early doors and while New Zealand had their period with the bat as no stage did Pakistan panic. They kept chipping away and in the end they ran out very comfortable winners to set up this fascinating decider.
New Zealand
After going into the second ODI with the confidence of their win in the first game the Kiwis never truly got going in that match and were soundly beaten as a result. To be fair to them they never chucked in the towel or anything like that but from pretty early on in their batting innings it always looked like it was going to be a step too far for them.
The concern for them going into this match is that they haven’t had a huge amount of time to put things right and it remains to be seen if that will make a difference. The other concern is that barring one superb spell of bowling from Trent Boult in the opening game, the Kiwis haven’t really landed much of a blow on this Pakistan outfit.
Team News
Imam-ul-Haq is rated as doubtful for this match after taking a blow to the helmet in the previous match. He hasn’t been officially ruled out of the game but it is unlikely he will play. Usman Khan is looking to force his way in.
New Zealand are expected to be unchanged despite their defeat last time out. In truth they don’t have a million options better than the ones they currently utilise. This could be the last chance for George Worker to deliver the goods.
Dubai International Stadium
There have been 31 previous ODIs on this ground with a number of them in the recent Asia Cup. Pakistan have only played here on 19 occasions and you would suggest that their record is quite average with eight wins to 11 losses. New Zealand have only been to this ground for an ODI once. They lost that match.
This is a much higher scoring ground to the one the first two ODIs were played on in Abu Dhabi. Scores in excess of 250 are quite regular here so it will be interesting to see which batting line up can get away from their opponents and put up a score worthy of winning the series.
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Betting
If you pushed me to back a winner in this deciding match I would go with Pakistan but I have to admit they look mighty short given their recent record in ODI cricket. I’m not convinced this New Zealand batting line up is working but we have seen already in the series that one special spell can change everything.
With that in mind I’m heading to the batsman runs line where given his form in 2018 I’m surprised Ross Taylor has a line of 30.5 runs. He has had 10 ODI innings in 2018 and he has two tons, four 50s and a 45* in that time so he is in a rich vein of form at the minute. The only T20 he got a real stay at the crease he made 40 odd as well so Taylor is going well. When New Zealand played here in 2014, Taylor made a ton so he likes the ground and I’ve got to think that unless something freaky happens he will make it to 31 runs.
Tips
VOID – Back R.Taylor – Over 30.5 runs for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Coral
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