Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st ODI - Preview, Predicted XIs, Match Prediction, Weather Forecast, Pitch Report and Live Streaming Details

Pakistan and New Zealand will square off in the first game of the three-match ODI series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, on Friday, September 17.

The Black Caps, led by Tom Latham, lost their five-match T20I series to Bangladesh 2-3. However, that they put up a spirited show can’t be denied since they didn’t have their first-choice players for the matches. The Kiwis will go into the upcoming clash on the back of a win in their previous game.

But prior to the ODIs against Pakistan, the visitors have been hit with a blow after Tom Blundell was ruled out due to a quad strain. Daryl Mitchell, who’s set to join the team for the T20Is, has been called upon. Mitchell will be available from the second ODI onwards.

Pakistan, on the other hand, won the T20I series against West Indies 1-0 after four of the five games were washed out due to rain. The Men in Green have named a 12-man squad for the first ODI and have picked as many as three leg-spinners — Zahid Mehmood, Usman Qadir and Shadab Khan.

Moreover, their 17-3 head-to-head record in Pakistan against New Zealand should give them confidence as well. Back in July, Babar Azam and Co lost 3-0 at the hands of a depleted England team and they’ll want to make amends at the earliest.

Match Details

Match: Pakistan vs New Zealand, New Zealand tour of Pakistan 2021.

Date: September 17, 2021 (Friday).

Time: 3:00 PM (IST).

Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Weather Report

Conditions will mostly be sunny during the first half of the game. There is no chance of rain as well. The temperature will be around the 28-degree Celsius mark throughout the course of the match.

Pitch Report

The pitch in Rawalpindi has been a sporting one over the years. The average score at the venue in 24 ODIs is 243. Last year, Zimbabwe and Pakistan played in a tied ODI at the same venue. Chasing should be the preferred option.

Predicted Playing XIs

Pakistan

Since Pakistan have picked three leg-spinners, it’s unlikely that all three will play. The hosts are most likely to prefer Shadab Khan and Usman Qadir over Zahid Mehmood. Babar Azam scored a ton the last time the two sides met in the 2019 World Cup. Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and others need to step up as well.

Predicted XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Usman Qadir

New Zealand

Ajaz Patel was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand in Bangladesh and he’s again expected to play a crucial role. Colin de Grandhomme has come under fire for his poor run of form and he’ll need to step up. Tom Latham has been excellent with the bat and he can’t afford to drop his guard.

Predicted XI: Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Will Young, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Latham (w/c), Henry Nicholls, Cole McConchie/Scott Kuggeleijn, Doug Bracewell, Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner/Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry

Match Prediction

On paper, Pakistan look a much stronger side than New Zealand. Pakistan can be unpredictable at times, but keeping in mind their talent, they are expected to win the opener.