ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and New Zealand will square off once again in the second and last Test match of the two-match series in Karachi, with the hosts eyeing a victory to end their dismal Test record at home this year.
Pakistan lost four of their last five Test matches to England and Australia this year. The green shirts drew the first Test match of the series against New Zealand last week, with skipper Babar Azam announcing a thrilling declaration that could have resulted in Pakistan losing the Test.
New Zealand, on the other hand, have also not fared well in Test cricket recently. The Kiwis have also lost four of their last five Test matches to South Africa and England. Both teams, Pakistan and New Zealand, are effectively out of contention for the World Test Championship.
However, a win tonight for either of the teams would result in a series victory.
All eyes would be on the Karachi pitch today, Monday, as interim chief selector Shahid Afridi said after the first Test that Pakistan would want a greener pitch for the second Test. Pakistan's Test series against Australia and England at home drew a lot of flak from cricket fans in the country who showed up in stadiums to watch flat tracks that heavily favored bowlers and failed to produce results.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi also told Arab News on Sunday that Afridi had been brought in to help the team play "bold" cricket in the days to come.
Squads:
Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq 2 Abdullah Shafique 3 Shan Masood 4 Babar Azam (capt) 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk) 7 Salman Ali Agha 8 Hasan Ali 9 Mohammad Wasim 10 Mir Hamza 11 Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ish Sodhi 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Ajaz Patel/Matt Henry
