That the BLACKCAPS haven’t won a one-day series on the Asian continent since 2009 speaks volumes of the challenge facing them in tonight’s opening one day international at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
In demanding touring conditions, with a squad missing Brendon McCullum, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, the New Zealand side will attempt to reverse a piece of history which shows only one win in Asia in the nine completed ODIs since the world cup quarter-final victory in 2011. Add the BLACKCAPS dual losses to South Africa in Tauranga shortly before their departure for the Middle East and it’s true, their task over the next fortnight might seem rather daunting. However, there are a few reasons for optimism.
One is tenuous, admittedly - the opponent New Zealand last beat in a series in Asia (five years ago) was Pakistan – and that 3-1 win was achieved in the United Arab Emirates, theatre of operations for the upcoming five-match series.
Another seems more meaningful: Pakistan have lost their most recent five ODIs, including a 3-nil series loss to Australia just before the BLACKCAPS arrived. The hosts are without key spin bowler Saeed Ajmal; they cannot bowl batting all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, and are welcoming back a clutch of players, most notably veteran batsman Younis Khan, recalled on the back of his sparking form in the Tests against Australia and the BLACKCAPS.
Opening batsman Nasir Jamshed is another recalled by the Pakistan selectors, while pace bowlers Wahab Riaz and Umar Gul return after injury lay-offs. Perhaps the most startling decision from the Pakistan selectors last week was the move to jettison middle-order batsman Fawad Alam, one of the mainstays of the hosts’ batting line-up throughout 2014, and a player with an overall ODI average of 45.14.
Pakistan have won just five of their 13 ODIs at the Dubai Stadium, which has so far favoured the team batting second by a factor of eight to five – often because of complications caused to the bowling side by dew.
History aside, the series represents the BLACKCAPS’ last campaign on the road ahead of the 2015 Cricket World Cup and another opportunity for coach Mike Hesson to gather critical information before finalising his squad of 15 for the tournament. Two of his most pressing issues involve finding a solution for the opening batting conundrum and the jostling for places amongst the pace bowlers.
Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham fulfilled the opening batting role in the most recent series against South Africa without tasting any success, and all signs point to different plans being tested in the UAE. Guptill, in any case, has been ruled out of the first match with a hamstring problem, leaving Hesson with opening options that include Anton Devcich, Tom Latham, Dean Brownlie and Neesham.
In terms of the BLACKCAPS attack, if Hesson chooses to play front-line spinners Nathan McCullum and Daniel Vettori, as is expected, the likelihood is that two of the pace bowling quartet comprising Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Mitchell McClenaghan and Kyle Mills will be rested.
The first match represents the start of the world cup build-up proper for Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, both of whom missed the home series against South Africa through injury. New Zealand will leave a decision on Corey Anderson, who was struck in the helmet during the opening T20I, until the morning on the match.
Pakistan v BLACKCAPS ODI series, 1st One Day International, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Tuesday 12am (NZ time). Recent form. Pakistan L,L,L,L,L New Zealand : L,L,W,W,T
New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Anton Devcich, Dean Brownlie, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Matt Henry, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne.
Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Bilawal Bhatti, Haris Sohail, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Irfan, Nasir Jamshed, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan, Zulfiqar Babar.
