Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first against New Zealand in the opening match of the tri-nation One-Day International (ODI) series at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan expressed confidence in his team’s batting depth and emphasized the importance of setting a strong total. His New Zealand counterpart, Mitchell Santner, stated that his side would look to take early wickets and restrict Pakistan to a manageable score.

Playing XIs

Pakistan’s batting lineup features Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam as openers, followed by Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Tayyab Tahir. The bowling attack comprises Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, and all-rounder Khushdil Shah.

New Zealand’s squad includes experienced players such as Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, and Tom Latham, with Santner leading the side. Their pace attack is spearheaded by Matt Henry, Ben Sears, and Will O’Rourke.

Head-to-head record

Pakistan and New Zealand have faced each other in 116 ODIs. Pakistan have won 61 matches, while the Black Caps have secured 52 victories. One match ended in a tie, and three were abandoned.

Matches played: 116
Pakistan won: 61
New Zealand won: 52
Tied: 1
No result: 3

Form Guide

Pakistan enter the series on a strong note, having won their last three ODI series, including notable triumphs over Australia and South Africa.

New Zealand, meanwhile, recently secured a 2-1 series win against Sri Lanka at home.

Pakistan’s last five matches: W, W, W, W, W
New Zealand’s last five matches: L, W, W, NR, L