With the ICC Champions Trophy just around the corner, most of the participating teams are getting back into the hang of the ODI format. After what feels like ages, we have an international tri-series taking place in Pakistan, with New Zealand and South Africa set to take on each other and the hosts.
For the first match of the 2025 Pakistan Tri-nation Series, between Pakistan and New Zealand, here are our match preview and predictions.
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Pakistan vs New Zealand | Pakistan Tri-nation Series 2025 | 14:30 IST, February 8
The visitors come into the tri-series looking to fine-tune all their issues in the longer white-ball format, as the Kiwis have a lot of their experienced players returning ahead of the big show.
The hosts, on the other hand, have Mohammad Rizwan leading a full-strength Pakistan side featuring Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel, and Usman Khan for the batting responsibilities. Pakistan also have a host of all-rounders in Salman Agha, Khusdil Shah, Kamram Ghulam, and Faheem Ashraf among others, who will give captain Rizwan a chance to play a full batter or bowler as required. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Hasnain lead the scary PAK pace attack, with the talented leg-break bowler Abrar Ahmed set to play a crucial role in the series as well.
For NZ, Mitchell Santner will lead a strong batting lineup featuring the likes of Kane Williamson, Will Young, Tom Latham, and Devon Conway. The Kiwis, like Pakistan, also boast of a fair few all-rounders in Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, and Daryl Mitchell, all of whom will be crucial on the Pakistani pitches. Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, and Jacob Duff are the main NZ pacers, with Santner, Ravindra, and Phillips looking after the spin department.
The Lahore strip has always brought about plenty of runs along with assistance for the seamers, which should be case once again as we back the hosts as favourites on conditions that suit them better.
Fantasy XI: Devon Conway, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Mitchell Santner, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Matt Henry
Venue: Lahore
Winners Prediction: Pakistan
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