RAWALPINDI: The Twenty20 battle is now history for both Pakistan and New Zealand as they launch a One-day International series starting in Rawalpindi on Thursday which serves as a key build-up to this year’s World Cup.

The five-match rubber offers both the teams the opportunity to test each other’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of the World Cup being hosted by India in October-November.

The first two ODIs will be staged here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium while the last three will be held in Karachi.

Both the teams held full-fledged net practice sessions on Wednesday amid light rain later during the practice.

Led by stand-in captain Tom Latham, New Zealand quickly adapted to the conditions to bounce back after trailing 2-0 to win the third and fifth T20 matches. The fourth match was abandoned due to rain.

A second-string New Zealand stunned the hosts by squaring a preceding five-match T20 series 2-2 despite missing eight first-choice players — including regular skipper Kane Williamson — due to the ongoing Indian Premier League or injury.

Pakistan have added young wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Haris to the ODI squad while New Zealand have included in-form batter Mark Chapman, who ended the T20 series as top-scorer (290), in their ODI party.

Wicket-keeper/batter Tom Blundell, recently named among the five best cricketers of the year by Wisden, and middle-order batter Henry Nicholls further boost the touring squad.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam acknowledged the importance of the series starting today.

“Each and every match that we play from now on holds a great significance for us. This series is a brilliant opportunity for us to fine-tune our combinations and gather the momentum ahead of the mega events in the shape of Asia Cup and the much-anticipated World Cup,” Babar was quoted as saying in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) media release.

“This team has done well in the past one year in ODI format and I have firm faith in my boys that they will perform according to expectations in the exciting next seven months.”

Pakistan, currently fifth on the ICC ODI rankings, get a chance to move to the top of the table. To achieve this, however, Babar and his men will have to sweep the five-game series against third-ranked New Zealand. While a 4-1 series triumph will lift the green-shirts to third spot.

In addition to this series, Pakistan are also scheduled to play three ODIs against Afghanistan (August) and the Asia Cup (September) before the all-important World Cup.

Pakistan’s ODI show of late has remained short of expectations as they lost a three-match home series 2-1 to New Zealand at Karachi in January this year.

Though Babar and company during the past year have done well, winning the ODI series against Australia (2-1) and West Indies (3-0) at home and downing the Netherlands (3-0) in Rotterdam during this period, losing the home series to 2019 World Cup finalists New Zealand came as a big blow.

Meanwhile speaking to media, Latham said victory in the T20 series had boosted the team’s confidence.

“The T20s proved an outstanding series; winning the series after trailing 2-0 was an excellent comeback for us, and we’re looking forward to switching to ODI mode now. The preparation wasn’t ideal but for us that wasn’t an excuse. It was about just keep getting better game from game and keep learning. We did that and to come out with a series draw after trailing 2-0 was awesome,” the New Zealand skipper said during his pre-match media conference.

“The T20 series has lifted our confidence level; it will help us in achieving good results in the ODI series [too] against Pakistan who are a quality side.”

On the forthcoming ODIs, Latham said, “It’s going to be a tough ODI series on the back of what this T20 series has produced. We have seen some great games of cricket and the one-day series is going to be no different. It’s a new format, and we have to adapt quickly. Hopefully we can do that straight away.”

Earlier addressing a press conference, Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq said the series against New Zealand prior to the Asia Cup and the World Cup, carried great importance for the hosts.

“Pakistan are one of the best ODI teams as we have won nine out of the last 12 ODIs during the past year,” left-handed Imam said.

“The entire team have been giving their full support to Babar Azam,” the opener said, adding the players will make all-out efforts to win the series.

“We will not repeat the mistakes committed during the T20 series.”

To a query, Imam said New Zealand were a good team. “In international and professional cricket, even ‘B’ teams, are also good.”

In a potential setback for Pakistan, batter Haris Sohail suffered an accident during practice.

According to a PCB in a media release issued late on Wednesday, left-handed Haris landed awkwardly on his left shoulder during fielding practice. The batter’s initial scans [conducted] at a local hospital were satisfactory, added the PCB.

“The medical team will assess Haris before the first ODI to determine his participation in the match.”

The second match of the ODI series will be played on Saturday. The games at the National Stadium, Karachi will be held on May 3, 5 and 7.

Squads:

PAKISTAN: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usama Mir

NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham (captain), Adam Milne, Ben Lister, Blair Tickner, Chad Bowes, Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Jimmy Neesham, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell, Will Young.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023