ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will seek to revive their cricket fortunes at home turf after a dismal Test season as the green shirts take on New Zealand in Karachi in the first of a three-match ODI bilateral series today, Monday. 

Pakistan last played an ODI series against the Netherlands in Rotterdam in August 2021. The green shirts have performed well in the 50-over format of the game over the last 12 months, winning eight out of nine matches. 

The green shirts won the toss and elected to send New Zealand in to bat. Usama Mir, 27, is making his debut for Pakistan in ODIs today after a strong showing in the domestic circuit. New Zealand gave the ODI cap to Henry Shipley, 26. 

“The way we have been performing in one-day cricket, throughout last year, we will try to follow that up with good cricket,” skipper Babar Azam said on Sunday. He added that for a team to perform consistently, it was important for the batters and the bowlers to back each other up. 

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said his side would have to adjust to the different home conditions in Pakistan. “I’m sure we’re going to get good weather here and tough cricket in conditions that we may experience some similarity in during the World Cup times,” he added. 

Pakistan head into the first ODI with a dismal record in the Test matches that the green shirts played at home. After a thrilling draw against New Zealand last week, Azam’s side failed to register a victory over the past eight Test matches they played. 

The last time Pakistan defeated an international side at home in a Test match was in February 2021 when they defeated South Africa in Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s winless Test record in 2022 put the spotlight on Azam’s captaincy, with cricket pundits and critics calling on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to appoint a new skipper to lead the side in the longest format of the game. 

The ODI series between the two sides will also provide them with much-needed preparation ahead of the 50-over World Cup which will be played later this year in India from October to November. 

Teams:
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Sohail, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf