PAK vs NZ: Pakistan to play an ODI game after 5 long months as the focus shifts to ICC World Cup 2023

New Zealand, the top-ranked ODI team, will try to get things going as they start their preparation for the 50-over World Cup in India with a string of 50-over assignments in the subcontinent. On Monday in Karachi, Pakistan and New Zealand will begin a three-game ODI series.

While New Zealand recently played at home against India, Pakistan haven’t played an ODI series in close to five months.  Babar Azam’s team defeated Netherlands by 3-0 in Pakistan’s most recent series in August. They will be switching from the five-day format to 50-over cricket, and they will be hoping there is no rustiness.

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Since January 2021, Pakistan has also had a strong record, having only lost one series (to England) and won the other four. They will also consider Pakistan’s outstanding home record since 2015, where they have gone undefeated in all five of their home series since that time. Before that, they had defeated Australia 2-1. Their last series at home was against the West Indies in June 2022, which the hosts won 3-0.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir and Usama Mir