KARACHI: Pakistan are hoping that their bowlers will shine under the Napier sun to shepherd them to a series-winning triumph over New Zealand in the third Test and give the tourists a much-needed boost just days before the start of a tough assignment in Australia.

After having trounced the Kiwis by 141 runs to level the three-match series in Wellington, Pakistan will begin the decider at McLean Park in Napier as favorites on Friday.

In contrast to Dunedin and Wellington where the wickets were overwhelmingly favorable for the bowlers, the Napier track promises to be full of runs. The sun is shining in Napier and the weather forecast for the next five days promises clear, blue skies and warmish conditions.

But Pakistani officials are still confident that their bowlers, especially the pace trio of Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul and Mohammad Aamer – will do the job even on what seems like a batting paradise.

“It certainly seems like a very good batting track but we have the sort of bowlers, who can bowl New Zealand out twice even on such a wicket,” Abdul Raqib, the Pakistan team manager, told Arab News from Wellington on Thursday.

“The bowlers did a great job in Wellington and we are sure that they would help us win this Test for a 2-1 series victory,” he added.

Raqib said that his boys are well aware of the fact that a win in Napier would give them their first series win in more than three years and perhaps more importantly it would boost their hopes ahead of a demanding tour of Australia that begins soon after the final Test against New Zealand.

“A series against Australia is always a big one and to go there with a series win (against New Zealand) would give the boys the sort of confidence they will need against the Aussies,” said Raqib.

Pakistan will arrive in Australia next week and will get to work right away by featuring in a three-day warm-up match against Tasmania at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart from December 19. The opening Test will begin on December 26 in Melbourne.

However, Raqib was quick to add that for the moment his players were fully focused on the Napier Test, saying that the team is ready for one final push for a ‘much-needed’ series win.

Pakistan have decided to go for just one change, bringing in Faisal Iqbal to replace the out-of-form Shoaib Malik.

Malik flopped both in Dunedin and Wellington, having scored just 46 runs from four outings at a poor average of 11.50.

Faisal, 27, has just played 23 Tests since making his debut against New Zealand in Auckland in 2011, scoring 954 runs at 26.50. In the last two years, he has just played two Tests.

A nephew of the great Javed Miandad, Faisal could play at the vital No. 3 spot that was left vacant when regular captain Younis Khan opted out of the Test tour of New Zealand last month.

Pakistan’s batting in the previous two Tests has been pretty ordinary with the exception of the Akmal brothers – Umar and Kamran – and to some extent Mohammad Yousuf, the skipper who batted well in Wellington.

However, team officials are hoping for an improved showing in Napier because of better batting conditions.

“For the first time on this tour, we have been welcomed by warm weather and the sun is shining which is a good sign,” said Raqib. “Our batsmen should do well here.”

The tourists have fielded horribly on the tour so far and were forced to carry out extensive catching sessions in the lead up to the final Test. “Catching has been a big concern and after some extensive training sessions over the past few days, we are expecting an improved showing,” said Raqib.

Pakistan were hit by reports that Gul and Aamer were engaged in a scuffle soon after the end of the second Test. The team management has repeatedly denied such reports and Raqib said that his boys will prove that all’s well by gelling like a team at McLean Park over the next five days.

“The team spirit is there and was very much visible when we had a good team meeting this evening,” said the manager.