Pakistan and New Zealand will face off in Mcleans Park, Napier in fourth One Day Cricket International Tuesday as series is at even-stevens after Pakistan's victory at Christchurch on Saturday. Pakistan showed their real aggression in third ODI where Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal & Misbahul-Haq did the job with bat which also reminded cricket fans old days of building innings in initial overs and then going for everything in death overs.
With firepower that Pakistan possess in the middle and late middle order including Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal & Wahab Riaz, they can afford really to play at around four runs in an hour till 30 overs mark and then turn it on in final stages of innings.
Now as both teams have won one match apiece, all eyes are on Napier where a fierce battle is expected as Kiwis will have their regular captain Daniel Vettori back in ranks while Pakistan are expected to replace Sohail Tanvir with either Abdur Rehman or Shoaib Akhtar.
Good thing for Pakistan is that their batsmen have finally started to find some form with Mohammad Hafeez & Umar Akmal both looked in great touch in third ODI while skipper Shahid Afridi also silenced his many critics with a strong show at AMI Stadium.
Black Caps team management is more eager to use this ODI series as an opportunity to experiment rather than winning it as it is expected that coach John Wright will try new combinations at Napier. Pakistan have won two out of their last five matches while New Zealand only won one match from their last clashes.
Pakistan squad: Ahmad Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Younus Khan, Misbahul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi (skipper), Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman/Sohail Tanvir/Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul & Wahab Riaz.
New Zealand: Jesse Ryder, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Kane Williamson, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum (wk), Daniel Vettori (skipper), Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Hamish Bennett.
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