Pakistan face New Zealand in Tri-Nation series opener today

LAHORE: The tri-nation ODI series featuring hosts Pakistan, along with New Zealand and South Africa, is set to begin here on Saturday.

In the opening encounter on Saturday Pakistan will take on New Zealand at the upgraded Gaddafi Stadium. The tournament promises intense competition and will serve as a crucial warm-up for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

The single-league format will see New Zealand take on South Africa on Monday at the same venue in a day game starting at 9.30am. After the second match the series will move to Karachi, where the home side will take on South Africa at the National Bank Stadium in a day-night match on February 12.

The final of the event will be played between the top two sides on February 14. This tournament provides a valuable opportunity for all three teams to fine-tune their strategies and preparations ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, which begins in Karachi on February 19 with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan, who is eyeing his fourth consecutive ODI series win since taking over the captaincy, expressed his excitement ahead of the series. “We are excited to be playing again in front of our home crowd and in the newly constructed stadiums in Lahore and Karachi. The preparations have gone well so far, with the players looking to give their best in the tournament leading up to the ICC event,” Rizwan said.

New Zealand, who had their first training session at the LCCA Ground on Thursday evening, are eager to make a winning start. Mitchell Santner commented, “We had a good training session in Lahore under lights and can’t wait to take on the home side on Saturday. It is great to be back in Pakistan, and the side had a good outing when we toured last time. The tri-nation series will provide us with a great opportunity to understand the wickets and help us prepare well for the upcoming pinnacle event.”

Meanwhile South Africa team, under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, arrived in Lahore early Friday morning and will undergo their first training session on Saturday. Bavuma highlighted the significance of the series, saying, “It is a great opportunity for the side to warm up before the mega event. We have a mixed squad, and the tri-nation tournament will help us acclimatize to the conditions before we gear up for the ICC event.”