Pakistan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 to play the final match of the series at Auckland
Pakistan and New Zealand will play each-other in the final match of the six-match One Day International (ODI) series at http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Auckland-c766, on 5th February. The visitors have already won the series 3-1.
The series started in a disastrous way for Pakistan and it seemed as if the ODI series will be a one-sided affair. However, Pakistan is known to be a very unpredictable side and they proved exactly that.
The Men in Green crushed the Kiwis in the next three matches, winning the series. This was the first ODI series win for Pakistan in 2 years and it came just at the right time, ahead of the World Cup.
New Zealand will be looking forward to win the last match of the series to end on a positive note. A 3-2 result will be much more satisfying for the hosts rather than a humiliating 4-1 outcome.
In order to win the last match, the Black Caps will have to lift their game. Batting has been the main concern for them as they have not been able to score too many runs.
Players haven’t been able to convert their starts into big innings and none of the Kiwi batsman has been able to score a century in the ODI series so far. There have been a few good performances with the bat but nothing that can win matches for the team.
Amongst the players who have failed to carry onto their starts, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Guptill-c1980 is at the top of the list. The Kiwi opener has almost got starts in all the matches he has played but has just carried onto make a fifty once.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JD-Ryder-c1679 started the series positively for his team but after his blistering half-century in the first match, there hasn’t been anything significant from him.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LRPL-Taylor-c1849 has also had a mixed series. He has performed in patches but being the best player of the team, he should play consistently and try to bat-out the complete overs.
The idea of shifting http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BB-McCullum-c1129 down the order hasn’t been effective for the Kiwis. The flamboyant player has been below par in the series and hasn’t been able to play freely.
The new ball bowlers have done a good job for New Zealand but the problem has been the middle overs when the ball loses its shine.
Compared to the Kiwi team, the visitors have been consistent. The batting has been led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ahmed-Shehzad-c42359 have scored centuries for Pakistan and Misbah also scored an unbeaten
93 to win a match for his team.
The lower middle-order has been relatively inconsistent. Shahid Afridi and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Abdul-Razzaq-c41623 has been below par. Pakistan will like some consistent runs from these batsmen.
Even though http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859 have found it difficult to make it to the playing-11.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 have done a pretty decent job in the bowling department and have not allowed the Kiwis to get away with too many runs.
Overall, Pakistan is in a very strong position to win the series 4-1 and it will be a hard outing for the hosts yet again. However, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/John-Geoffrey-Wright-c67883 may come up with a winning formula and lift the morale of the team.
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