New Zealand will take on Pakistan in the first Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Friday, January 7. The two match series will then move on to Basin Reserve in Wellington on the 15th of January.
It is a very important series for both the sides. New Zealand have arrived home after a 1-0 loss against India in a three match series, in which their batsmen came good. Pakistan came to New Zealand after drawing the Test series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates and haven’t won a series for a long time.
The series could also be a close one. The T20 series was won by New Zealand quite easily and Pakistan had just the consolation win in the final game. But they will be buoyed by the return of Sohail Tanvir, who has been declared fit for the Tests. However, he hasn’t played international cricket for a long time and could be a bit rusty.
Pakistan are likely to miss the services of off spinner Saeed Ajmal for the first Test. He has returned to Pakistan to attend the funeral of his father, who passed away on Tuesday on the way to the hospital. Pakistan are bit short on the spin department and their only other option is the left arm slow bowling of Abdur Rehman.
New Zealand will want their batsmen to come good, like they did in India. Kane Williamson was very good in India, impressing everyone with a century. Brendon McCullum too was among the runs and also hit an excellent double century in the recently concluded tour game against the visitors.
New Zealand XI did well in that three day game dismissing Pakistan for just 287 runs. The bowling attack was almost similar to the one that will play the first Test. Darryl Tuffey has been recalled to the squad to replace the injured Andrew McKay and will share the new ball with the impressive Chris Martin.
Tim Southee, Brent Arnel and Daniel Vettori will complete the attack.
Pakistan’s fortunes in this series will rest on the performances of the batsmen. Misbah Ul Haq scored a wonderful hundred in the tour game but the real worry would be that no other batsman went past fifty in that game.