PAK vs NZ 2nd ODI Match Prediction

PAK vs NZ Team Previews

Pakistan

The Pakistani outfit could not have made a better start to their campaign in the ODI series. We received a belter of a track for the first one-day game. The visitors did put up a decent total of 288 runs on the board for the loss of 7 wickets but it was not to be enough on this track. The hosts chased down the target in 48.3 overs easily with 5 wickets in hand. The Pakistani opener once again displayed his class to hit a terrific inning of 117 runs from 114 balls. He shared a superb opening wicket stand of 124 runs with Imam ul-Haq who scored 60 runs from 65 balls.

This opening wicket partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul-Haq set up the game nicely for the hosts. This partnership was followed by the top Pakistani batters getting into the act. Pakistan captain Babar Azam scored 49 runs from 46 balls and the other superstar Mohammad Rizwan put together a quick 42 not out in 34 balls. These were handy innings from both batters and the Pakistan team bats deep and it is a strong line-up. To make matters worse for New Zealand, they have to contend with a batting paradise of a wicket.

The best opportunity for New Zealand to put one across Pakistan is bowling frugally and creating pressure on the batters with miserly spells. The outstanding performer for Pakistan in the match was their young fast bowler, Naseem Shah. He returned with the figures of 2 for 29 runs from his quota of 10 overs. This economical bowling ensured that the Kiwis did not get past the 300-run mark on this pitch. Other Pakistani bowlers were expensive however, it was to be expected on this placid wicket. This would not have worried the Pakistani management too much. This bowling attack can do well even on the flat tracks. 

New Zealand

All said and done, it was a decent performance from New Zealand in the first one-day international. If they had all their regular players available in the game, they might have even tasted a win against the formidable Pakistan unit. However, for now, they will have to deliver with the current lot at their disposal. Daryl Mitchell continued his good form with the bat in this game as well. He struck a superb 113 from 115 balls that were responsible for putting up a solid foundation for the New Zealand inning.

New Zealanders have the services of Will Young available to them. He is a talented opening batsman who can do a great job for his team in all kinds of situations. Young scored 86 runs in the first match from 78 balls. Another thing New Zealand will wish for is a solid contribution from the skipper Tom Latham. Their other batters are talented ones although they lack sufficient experience in these conditions. Chad Bowes, Henry Nicholls, and Mark Chapman despite being handy cricketers lack experience in the one-day format.

The New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi showed his class and experience by bowling a decent spell of 1 wicket for 51 runs. These do not look like impressive figures in a one-day game but he was bowling on a placid track that did not offer much help for his kind of bowling. All other bowlers looked threatening for a while such as Adam Milne, Blair Tickner, and Matt Henry. These bowlers form a pretty decent pace attack. But they are unlikely to make a big impact on these kinds of tracks. Rachin Ravindra was targeted by the Pakistani batters and he is the weak link in the bowling unit.