Kane Williamson and Salman Agha (Source: @RoshanSriram123/X.com, @TheRealPCB/X.com)
We are not far away from the final of the ODI Tri-Series between New Zealand and Pakistan, slated to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi. This edge-of-the-seat thriller will be played on Friday, February 14th, 2025, from 2:30 PM IST. With South Africa already eliminated, seeing who comes out on top in this encounter will be interesting.
New Zealand
The New Zealand side, led by spinner Mitchell Santner, have done incredibly well in the series, with two victories in two games. They first crushed Pakistan by 78 runs in the first ODI and then walked over South Africa in the second game by six wickets. While Glenn Phillips was excellent with his 106 not out in the first match against Pakistan, Daryl Mitchell (81) and Kane Williamson (58) were equally brilliant in pushing them to 330 in the first innings.
Meanwhile, the hosts, in reply, could only get to 252 as they were bowled out inside 48 overs. In the next match against South Africa, the Proteas side toiled hard to post 304 on the board, but unfortunately, the Kiwis proved to be too strong as they managed to chase the target in 48.4 overs with Kane Williamson (133*) and Devon Conway (97) doing the job as usual, helping them qualify into the finals without much hassle.
Pakistan
Whereas for Pakistan, things were a bit difficult in the first game as they were cleaned over for 252 in pursuit of 330 set by the Kiwis. Fakhar Zaman was the lone warrior with 84 coming off his bat from 69 deliveries, while Shaheen Afridi picked three wickets but proved to be a tad bit expensive with 88 runs coming in his 10 overs as Kiwis won the game by 78 runs. The second game proved to be the virtual semi-final for Pakistan, who had no other option but to defeat the strong Proteas side.
Pakistan, while chasing 353 in the third ODI, finished the game with one over to spare courtesy of Mohammad Rizwan's 122 not out and Salman Agha's 134, helping them take the game with six wickets remaining. Therefore, with this victory, they excelled in the do-or-die encounter and became the second team to progress to the Tri-Series Finals.
How Will The National Stadium Pitch Behave?
The pitch at the National Stadium in Karachi is one of the flattest decks in the world. With no extra movement, pace, or bounce, the ball comes nicely onto the bat, giving batters a free hand to play their strokes. There is hardly any turn for spinners on this surface, which means batting throughout the innings will not be a difficult task. The runs are expected to be scored in plenty as batters will enjoy spending time on this surface. With score of 350 plus chased in the last game here, expect the side winning the toss to bowl first, as batting will become easier in the second half under lights.
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Top 3 Captain and Vice-Captain Choices for NZ vs PAK
3. Glenn Phillips
Why Will Glenn Phillips Be A Good Choice As The Captain Or Vice-Captain?
Unbeaten So Far: New Zealand's Glenn Phillips has been in terrific form in this series as he has remained unbeaten in both the games played so far. Phillips, who played an outstanding 106-run knock against Pakistan, returned strongly against South Africa to play a 28-run innings while chasing as he took his side home in the end.
Power Hitter: Phillips is an aggressive middle-order batter who can change the course of the game with his explosive hits. In this series only, he has batted at a strike rate of 126.42 while averaging 134. Moreover, with pitches being flat in Pakistan, expect Phillips to come good in this encounter, too, as he can take on the opposition bowlers straight away from the first ball.
2. Salman Agha
Why Will Salman Agha Be A Good Choice As The Captain Or Vice-Captain?
Clutch Player: Averaging 45.78 in his overall ODI career, Salman Agha played one of his finest innings against South Africa in the last game, where he wreaked havoc with 134 coming off his bat in a very crucial encounter. Agha has the ability to soak in the pressure and come good for his side when required.
Middle-Order Anchor: Additionally, Salman, while batting alongside Mohammad Rizwan in the game against South Africa, displayed that he has his head over his shoulders. He was a class apart in his knock of 134, as he found 16 fours and two sixes while batting at a strike rate of 130.10. Moreover, he and Rizwan complemented each other well and took Pakistan's score from 91/3 to 351/4, bailing them out of serious trouble and proving that he is a perfect anchor for these kinds of situations.
1. Kane Williamson
Why Will Kane Williamson Be A Good Choice As The Captain Or Vice-Captain?
Highly Experienced: Steer the ship, Kane Williamson is one of the finest batters of this generation with plenty of experience under his belt. The right-hander, who has featured in 167 ODI matches, has 7001 runs to his name, at an outstanding average of 49.65, where he has struck runs at a rate of 81.69. To go along with that, he has 46 half-centuries and 14 centuries to his name in his ODI career.
Outstanding Form: Especially in this series, Williamson has amassed 191 runs in the two matches played so far, with scores of 58 and 133* coming against Pakistan and South Africa, respectively. Adding to this, he has averaged 191 in the Tri-Series, with runs flowing at a strike rate of 94.55 from his bat. Therefore, choosing him as a captain or vice-captain of the side will be the right decision.
.jpg?type=mq?im=Resize=(250, 250) "Arnav Chopra")
