Tri-Nation 2024/25, Pack VS NZ 1. Match Match Preview

Big Image: Possibility of precious playing time in Pakistan

A triangular ODD series is something of a curiosity that belongs to a museum more than it does in 2025. Pakistan last hosted one in 2004 and there has been no one in the ODD format everywhere since 2008. Since this particular Series was announced not long ago, it stands out – it’s the only ODDE TRI series in the current FTP.

Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa play a truncated version of the classic tri series, with only a round matches followed by a final. The schedule was probably pressed by SA20 at one end and Champions Trophy on the other, and that is the upcoming ICC event – the first host of Pakistan for almost three decades – giving the series context.

While South Africa’s team is weakened by player obligations on SA20 and the injuries, Pakistan and New Zealand, who take each other in the opener, have pretty much full strength. Both have appointed almost identical troops for this series and Champions Trophy and had two exercise sessions at the rebuilt Gaddafi Stadium, which will officially be inaugurated on Friday before the first game.

For each side, it allows for precious match practices under conditions where Champions Trophy will be held in the head (with India’s matches in Dubai). Pakistan and New Zealand also open the Marquee Tournament, though this game takes place in Karachi and not Lahore. Both have played exactly nine ODDs each since the end of the World Cup in 2023 and all under very different relationships with this. While Pakistan won each of their three recent Odi series, New Zealand came cards in the one they played in the subcontinent, a 2-0 reversing against Sri Lanka.

However, it is not as if they are missing match practices in this country. Since December 2022, they have played two samples, eight ODDs and ten T20i’s in Pakistan across four series. In most of these apartments, however, several factors meant New Zealand sent weakened troops, with a greater context to build up. This time, however, there is a multi-team trophy on the line, all with the second largest title in the ODI cricket.

It gives visitors a chance to try what seems to be a healthy balance between nail and spin in Pakistan. Captain Mitchell Santner wants Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips for Slow Bowling Company, while also having a fast bowls – no less than six – in their Tri -Series team.

Pakistan seems to have shown their hand a little more, with only one full -time spinner along with Salman Ali Agha, their most plausible part -time spin. A bit of tinkering is required at the top, where it seems that Fakhar Zaman, back from the cold, opens with Babar Azam, an experiment, PCB tests in front of Champions Trophy. With this their only game before the deadline to make changes to the team on February 11, there is more riding on it for them than just the possible result of the competition.

Form Guide

Pakistan Wwwww (Last five ended matches, latest first)
New Zealand Lwwll

In the limelight: Babar Azam and Lockie Ferguson

Babar Azam is always in the limelight, but things are different this time. With Said Ayub’s injury and Abdullah Shafique’s loss of form, Espncriinfo Pakistan’s former Captain is expected to be called to open batting to give up stability. With polarizing effect, he has performed this role in the T20 crick for several years, and recently stood as a test opener in Cape Town and scored half a century in each round. In ODIs, however, all except 14 of his laps have come to three, and when he seems to navigate out of a difficult form, a change of position in his most productive format will guarantee all eyes on him.

Lockie Ferguson Haven’t played the ODI-crick since the tail of 2023, but with Pakistan, who also names four seams in their team, this can be a series where Express Pace is a factor. 33-year-old Ferguson is fresh with a respectable view in oxygen20, where he places among the top ten wicket-takers, 33-year-old Ferguson is the oldest fast bowler across all three pages this tri-series, but also the Fastest. Against a Provisional Pakistan opening pair and in Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, middle order players who are more skilled against spin than high tempo, Ferguson’s extra heat presents a locus with vulnerability to Pakistan and a difference for New Zealand.

HOLD NEWS: SAIM AYUB is out of action

Ayub, who is recovering from an ankle injury, is out of the series and Champions Trophy. Pakistan is expected to open with Fakhar and Babar, with three Premier -Seams Bowlers and Abrar Ahmed as lonely front line spinner. The middle order will see some rotation over the series.

Pakistan (probably) 1 fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Kamran Ghulam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (Capt, WK), 5 Tayyab Tahir/Saud Shakeel, 6 Salman Agha, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 ABRAR Ahmed

New Zealand has two options to prepare their best page here before the deadline of Champions Trophy Squads is closing. The conditions suggest three quick bowlers to a minimum. With all New Zealand spinners who are also practical fighters, the balance of the site is not much of a problem.

New Zealand (possible) 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (WK), 7 Glenn Phillips/Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (Capt), 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’Rourke

Pitch and relationship

This is a bit of a mystery where the whole Earth was recovered recently. Historically, however, Gaddafi has produced flat batting surfaces and rewards for extra pace in the ODD crick. Overhead conditions are likely to be more cloudy than sunny, with temperatures diping in the evening, but no rain is expected.

Statistics and Trivia

Babar has only opened twice in the ODI -cricket in a bilateral series against England in 2015. He scored 26 races across his two laps
Ferguson is a wicket away from becoming the 19th New Zealander to 100 ODI -WICKETS
Pakistan last hosted an ODI-TRI series in 2004 with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. It was called the Paktel Cup after a telecommunications company that no longer exists. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the final then

Quotes

“We’ve seen [Tim] Southee and [Trent] Boult does it for a long time for us and does an extremely good job. We have some new guys coming through the experience of Matt Henry and some good fast bowling stocks. “
Mitchell Santner thinks New Zealand’s Tempo Bowling is in a good place

Danyal Rasool is Espncricinfos Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000