New Zealand and Pakistan are ready to face off in the 33rd match of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in Birmingham on Wednesday. Edgbaston in Birmingham will be used as the venue, which will be hosting its 60th ODI on Wednesday. In the previous match at the ground, it was a close contest between bat and ball where New Zealand eventually came out on top with a four-wicket margin against South Africa on June 19.
The game is another do-or-die encounter for Pakistan who are placed on the seventh spot on the table with just five points from six matches, therefore, they need a positive result in all of the remaining three matches in order to have any chance of cementing a berth in the final four. In the batting department, the Men in Green will be relying on the top-order trio of Imam Ul-Haq, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and leg-spinner Shadab Khan to produce timely breakthroughs. With an impressive win over South Africa in the previous match, Pakistan is expected to field the same playing eleven.
On the other hand, for New Zealand, the game propose an opportunity for the 2015 World Cup runners-up to cement a place in the last-four with a positive result. In the batting department, the Black Caps will be relying on the likes of
New Zealand and Pakistan are ready to face off in the 33rd match of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in Birmingham on Wednesday. Edgbaston in Birmingham will be used as the venue, which will be hosting its 60th ODI on Wednesday. In the previous match at the ground, it was a close contest between bat and ball where New Zealand eventually came out on top with a four-wicket margin against South Africa on June 19.
The game is another do-or-die encounter for Pakistan who are placed on the seventh spot on the table with just five points from six matches, therefore, they need a positive result in all of the remaining three matches in order to have any chance of cementing a berth in the final four. In the batting department, the Men in Green will be relying on the top-order trio of Imam Ul-Haq, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and leg-spinner Shadab Khan to produce timely breakthroughs. With an impressive win over South Africa in the previous match, Pakistan is expected to field the same playing eleven.
On the other hand, for New Zealand, the game propose an opportunity for the 2015 World Cup runners-up to cement a place in the last-four with a positive result. In the batting department, the Black Caps will be relying on the likes of captain Kane Williamson, veteran middle-order batsman Ross Taylor and opener Martin Guptill to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the pace trio of Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson to produce timely breakthroughs.
Player Recommendations:
Batsman: Kane Williamson (10.5 Cr)
Kane Williamson is one of the best batsmen in the world across all formats. The right-hander has represented New Zealand in 144 ODIs, where he has scored 5,927 runs at an average of 48.18 and at a strike-rate of 82.47, which included 13 centuries and 38 fifties.
Wicketkeeper: Sarfraz Ahmed (8.5 Cr)
Sarfraz Ahmed is one of the most underrated wicketkeeper-batsmen in the 50-over format. The 32-year-old has represented Pakistan in 111 ODIs, where he has scored 2,245 runs at an average of 34.53 and at a strike-rate of 88.07, which included two centuries and 11 half-centuries.
All-rounder: Jimmy Neesham (9 Cr)
Jimmy Neesham is one of the most underrated all-rounder in the 50-over format. The 28-year-old has represented New Zealand in 54 ODIs, where he has scored 1,091 runs at an average of 30.30, whereas he also has 51 wickets to his name.
Bowler: Mohammad Amir (9 Cr)
Mohammad Amir is having an outstanding tournament for Pakistan. The left-arm pacer is the leading wicket-taker for the Men in Green as he already has 15 wickets to his name in just five matches at an outstanding strike-rate of 18.40 and at an economy-rate of 4.76.
Predicted Playing XI:
New Zealand: Colin Munro, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Colin de Grandhomme, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Pakistan: Imam Ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (captain & wicketkeeper), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Afridi
