PAK v NZ toss update: Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup match at Bengaluru.
Pakistan, who are sixth in the points table, won the toss and were bowled in the crucial league match of the 2023 World Cup against fourth-placed New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Kane Williamson, who had been sidelined since sustaining an injury in the match against Bangladesh, returned and took charge of the team. To accommodate him, New Zealand removed Will Young. They also replaced the injured Matt Henry with Ish Sodhi and Jimmy Neesham with Mark Chapman.
As a result of these changes, New Zealand’s eleven now has exactly two fast bowlers in Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who have just returned from injury. They will need support from spinners Sodhi and Mitchell Santner with part-timer support to do the bulk of the bowling.
Pakistan, on the other hand, opted for almost the opposite strategy, replacing leg-spinner Osama Mir with fast bowler Hassan Ali. In doing so, they strengthened a tempo attack that already included Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim.
At the same time, they will be without Mir, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, three spin-bowling all-rounders who rotate the ball away from right-handed pitchers.
The key spinner for this match will be Iftikhar Ahmed, who has been impressive in the off-breaks this World Cup. Aga Salman also bowls in the off-break and Saud Shakeel spins with his left arm.
Haris Rauf of Pakistan.
Neuseeland XI: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham (week), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Darryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southie, Trent Boult.
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