Pakistan Vs New Zealand 1st Test

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After a humiliating defeat to England, Pakistan is set to take on New Zealand in another home series. The first test gets underway on December 26 at National Stadium, Karachi. 

Read this article to check out the cricket tips Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st Test, our match preview, betting tips, and more.

Cricket Tips Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st Test: Match Preview

Both teams haven’t performed well during this WTC cycle and will look to gain momentum before entering the next cycle. The Babar-led side will try to put the opponents under pressure on their home pitches, as they know how the surface will behave.

Both sides have quality spinners in their bowling line-ups, and we expect them to dominate the game, as spinners played a key role during Pakistan’s last outing in Karachi. 

Since the surface is balanced and offers some assistance to batters, we expect a few good knocks in the first test.

Team News

Pakistan

Naseem Shah and Hasan Ali are making a comeback and have balanced the Pakistan squad.

Probable X1

Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali, Zahid Mehmood/Mohammad WasimJr, and Abrar Ahmed.

New Zealand

Kane Williamson has stepped down as captain of the test side, and Tim Southee has taken the responsibility to lead.

Probable X1

Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Michael Bracewell/Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee(C), Ajaz Patel, and Neil Wagner.

Who Will Win: Cricket Tips Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st Test?

New Zealand is a strong team and can put any opposition under pressure. However, Pakistan will also look to bounce back in familiar conditions, and their batting and bowling line-up looks strong too. 

We are predicting a competitive test, with Pakistan being on the winning side and claiming a 1-0 lead.

Odds

Pakistan will enter the first test as favourites with odds of 1.83, and New Zealand will start with odds of 3.7.

Prop Bets

Top bowler/wicket-taker– first innings (Pakistan)

Abrar Ahmed is one of the finest bowlers in the Pakistan bowling attack, and the youngster has performed well against England. On this surface, it won’t be easy for the batters to take him on, and we expect Abrar to be the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in the first innings.

Top bowler/wicket-taker– first innings (New Zealand)

Ajaz Patel has done well with the ball during his short test career and can be lethal on such a surface. The pacers can get a few quick wickets in the first innings, but we are backing Ajaz Patel to be the leading wicket-taker.

Top batter/run-scorer- first innings (Pakistan)

Babar Azam is always one of the top contenders when we talk about the best batters in all formats, and he scored 50+ in both innings against England in the last test. We expect him to lead the team from the front again and be the top run-scorer for Pakistan in the first innings.

Top batter/run-scorer- first innings (New Zealand)

Kane Williamson is no longer the test captain, but he will still be an important part of the New Zealand batting line-up. We are backing him to be the top run-scorer for New Zealand in the first innings.

Player to score a 50- first innings

Batters will have the opportunity to score big on this surface if they survive a few sessions. Both sides have players who can convert. For this category, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Kane Williamson, and Devon Conway are our top picks.

Player of the match

We expect spinners to dominate this game and Abrar Ahmed to perform well in both innings. We are backing him to be the player of the match.

Conclusion

This is all about the cricket tips Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st Test. Both teams are strong, and we are expecting the first test to stay alive till the fifth day. 

Fans will likely witness an entertaining and close match. We are backing Pakistan to win the first test after a tough battle.