Pakistan and New Zealand will face off each other in the final match of the ongoing Tri-series on 14th February at Karachi.
Match Preview:
Pakistan has done unthinkable in the last ODI of the series as they pulled off a miraculous chase against South Africa. The side gunned down a total of 352 with one over to spare. All thanks to the heroic innings played by Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha. The captain and vice-captain stitched a partnership of 260 runs which is the third highest for Pakistan in the ODI format.
If anything, this mammoth victory will boost the home side to enter as favourites in the upcoming final match of the tri-series.
The area of concerns, nevertheless, are still there for the home side. The death bowling was one of the issues for Pakistan in both of the games against New Zealand and South Africa. Against the Black Caps, Pakistan conceded 123 runs in the last 10 overs and against Africa the Green Shirts got hit for 110 runs.
The form of Babar Azam is still concerning and the upcoming game will be crucial for the player to get his groove back before the all-important Champions Trophy 2025.
Talking about New Zealand, they will be in good rhythm too as they beat both Pakistan and South Africa effortlessly in their first two fixtures. The comeback of Kane WIlliamson is definitely a gleeful sight for the tourists and Devon Conway also shone when provided a chance after Rachin Ravindra’s injury in the first ODI of the series.
The performance of Tom Latham has been below par as well as he is yet to score a run in the ongoing series, he grabbed duck twice.
New Zealand will not have much concerns moving to the last ODI of the series, it’s just their opening pair is fragile but they have got a sorted middle order and a bowling unit.
Head-to-head record:
The two teams have faced each other a total of 117 times, with Pakistan holding a slight edge. The Green Shirts have emerged victorious on 61 occasions, while the Kiwis have won 52 matches. Three encounters have ended in no result, while one match has been tied.
Probable Playing XI:
Pakistan: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Saud Shakeel, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham/Mark Chapman, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Ben Sears/Lockie Ferguson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’Rourke
Pitch and weather report:
Karachi’s pitch is expected to be as flat as Lahore’s, with a lightning-fast outfield that contributed to the record-breaking high scores in the previous match. Weather conditions will be warm and sunny, with temperatures soaring up to 30 degrees, setting the stage for another thrilling contest.
Prediction:
It is hard to decide who will win the final of the tri-series but given how Pakistan chased a mammoth total despite losing key wickets like Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam cheaply, Pakistan are favourites to lift up the trophy of the tri series.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan: Ten Sports, A Sports, Tamasha, Myco, Tapmad
North America: Willow TV
MENA & South Asia: Cricbuzz, Tapmad
Bangladesh: T Sports
UK: Sky Sports, ARY Digital
India: Sony, Fancode
Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog TV
