ehsan

Nov 3 at Abu Dhabi

Match starts at 15.00 local time (11.00 GMT)

The teams meet for the tifrst time since the Semi finals of CT which NZ won.

Will Pakistan extract revenge or will NZ triumph?

Squads:

Pakistan squad Younis Khan*, Abdul Razzaq, Iftikhar Anjum, Imran Farhat, Kamran Akmal†, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Yousuf, Naved-ul-Hasan, Saeed Ajmal, Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz
New Zealand squad DL Vettori*, SE Bond, NT Broom, IG Butler, JEC Franklin, MJ Guptill, BB McCullum†, NL McCullum, KD Mills, JDP Oram, AJ Redmond, TG Southee, SB Styris, LRPL Taylor, BJ Watling

from Cricinfo:

Form Guide (most recent last)

Pakistan WWWLL

New Zealand - LWWWL

Watch Out For

Now that Younis Khan has got what he has wanted, it might not be a bad time for him to pick up some ODI form. This year has been a poor one for him: in 16 ODIs he has 398 runs at less than 25, with only two fifties.
Similarly, this might be a fine time from Brendon McCullum to fire with the bat as well. Expectations have been unnaturally high since that scarcely believable IPL hundred, but an average of 26 from 21 ODIs this year, with just two fifties, is disappointing at many levels. A move down the order may be the tonic.

Team News

Pakistan will have one, possibly both, different openers from those who played in the Champions Trophy, with Salman Butt and Imran Farhat the likely beneficiaries. The only other question mark is likely to be over Naved-ul-Hasan and whether Abdul Razzaq should replace him.
Pakistan (probable): 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Naved-ul-Hasan/Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal
New Zealand are injury-ravaged as they were during the Champions Trophy, missing key personnel in Daryl Tuffey, Jesse Ryder and Grant Elliott. Scott Styris is back, as is Jacob Oram and with Kyle Mills suffering an injury, the young, impressive Tim Southee is definitely in contention for a starting place.
New Zealand (probable): 1 Aaron Redmond, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Neil Broom, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Jacob Oram, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Shane Bond, 11 Tim Southee

Pitch and Conditions

Surfaces at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium have not always been reminiscent of the run-leakers of the 80s and 90s Middle East cricket. Generally they are low and sluggish and batsmen find it difficult to get away, often making for low-scoring, tense encounters. It will not be a surprise if conditions are much different this time round. Pakistan's stronger spin attack and knowledge of the surfaces and conditions should give them a slight advantage.

Stats and trivia

• Umar Gul has taken 21 wickets in 10 ODIs in the UAE (excluding matches at the old Sharjah ground)
• Pakistan have played 11 ODIs at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi since its inauguration in April 2006. That is more ODIs at the venue than any home venue, including their two main ones in Lahore and Karachi in the same time
• New Zealand haven't played in the Middle East since April 2002 and their record in the region is poor: eight wins in 29 games.

Go Pak Go.

a1kashur

So that's 6am EST. I can watch the 1st innings then I gotta go to work. Damnit.

GoldenAsif

Younus rightly putting greater emphasis on fielding

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Pakistan captain Younis Khan is looking forward to an improved fielding performance from his team in the three-match one-day series against New Zealand starting here from Tuesday (today).

Fielding let Pakistan down when the two teams met in last month’s semi-final of the Champions Trophy in South Africa, where Younis himself dropped a sitter off Grant Elliott which cost his team dearly. “We need to field very well, and this is one area where we need improvement as New Zealand have a clear edge on us in this department,” said Younis during the unveiling of the series on Monday.

Historically, Pakistan is one of the lower ranked teams when it comes to fielding, and Younis was quick to point out the grey area. “We suffer a lot because of fielding but boys have shown inclination to improve fielding and I am sure this series will not only see them bat well, bowl well, but also field well,” said Younis. “They (New Zealand) are a very dangerous side and we have to be at our best in all three departments to beat them. They have quality players so it would be 50-50 when we start the series.”

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Will Imran Farhat be preferred over Salman Butt for the opening slot?....waise andhon mein kana raja wali baat hai...

Lucid Chaotic

c'mon man calling him kana is giving him too much credit I think they're all on even ground as openers when it comes to being causes of disappointment for the Pak team fans.

cadet018

ehsan

If rana is played instead of razzaq I am going to kill someone.

cadet018

ehsan

Pakistan has won the toss and elected to bat.

Teams:

Pakistan team Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Younis Khan*, Mohammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal†, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal
New Zealand team AJ Redmond, BB McCullum†, MJ Guptill, LRPL Taylor, SB Styris, JDP Oram, DL Vettori*, NL McCullum, TG Southee, IG Butler, SE Bond

Good to see no Rana and Razzaq taking his rightful place.

ehsan

Pakistan has won the toss and elected to bat.

Teams:

Pakistan team

Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Younis Khan*, Mohammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal†, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal

New Zealand team

AJ Redmond, BB McCullum†, MJ Guptill, LRPL Taylor, SB Styris, JDP Oram, DL Vettori*, NL McCullum, TG Southee, IG Butler, SE Bond

Good to see no Rana and instead Razzaq taking his rightful place.

ehsan

From Cricinfo:

Toss: Younis has chosen to bat :"It's not hot but warm and we will bat first. 280 + would be nice to defend. Dubai and Abudhabi is like second home for us. Khalid Latif gets a chance."

Vettori: We have had a few injuries; its unfortunate ... No Mills and Franklin (stiff back).

Pitch "The straw-colored grass is well rolled into the turf and it should be good for batting. There are some cracks but they haven't opened up and the pitch looks very hard."

hanibal

Salman Butt back in the side, facing bond, have survived two deliveries... good for him..

hanibal

That was it, he had to go shopping in Abu-Dhabi, so he left early... 4 balls to his name, he was not there to make runs anyway...


Pak 0 for 1, in 0.4 overs..

ehsan

Congratulations, Salman played 4 deliveries before getting out.

I have always said he is a PATHETIC below club level player.

Bond to Salman Butt, OUT

Salman Butt c †BB McCullum b Bond 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Bond to Salman Butt, OUT, Salman Butt's comeback doesn't quite last long. Bondy has struck. It was a back-of-length delivery that moved away from the stumps and Butt was almost squared-up as he pushed at it and edged it behind.

You have to forgive him, he got out playing his favourite shot, catch practice to slips and wicket keeper.

ehsan

Oh well we can always have the safarshi Imran Farhat to open in the next match, maybe he will play 6 deliveries before getting out.

hanibal

Younis had to join salman in the shopping, so he also left, leaving the job on Malik, MoYo and Omer Akmal... if they survived and did manage to put some decent total on the board, Younis will make sure that he let it go in the field


Only managed to play three balls, so he cannot scold Salman, as he has stayed there longer then him

ehsan

Younis promised to give his 200% and he has. Here is the result:

Bond to Younis Khan, OUT, Bondy! Full delivery outside off stump, curves away, Younis chased it, going for a flamboyant square drive but only succeeded in edging it behind

Younis Khan c †BB McCullum b Bond 0 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Decent 6Chora

useless khan, I mean Younus khan at his best .... both on field (by getting out) and off field (by dropping Shoaib Malik). Right now, ONLY player who does not deserve to be in team (on performance) is he, himself

cadet018

hanibal

^^ Nah, if we win, the WINING combination shall continue, and if we lost this match, Imran Farhat shall open in place of Khaled Latif...

Younis will be at one down of course

ehsan

29/2 off 11 overs.