Stern test ahead

Limited-overs tour to New Zealand that begins today provides the squad with the opportunity to rectify this weakness

With the World Twenty20 barely two months away, Pakistan seem to have at their disposal too many players who do not have a settled role in the team. The limited-overs tour to New Zealand that begins today thus provides the squad with the opportunity to rectify this weakness. After the recent 1-3 loss against England, the Shahid Afridi-led team is low on confidence. A gruelling preparatory camp for the tour took place in Lahore with special emphasis on improving the power-hitting abilities of the batsmen. The highly skilled New Zealand bowling attack will provide a stern test for Pakistan batsmen, including Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood and Ahmed Shehzad. The quartet struggled against England in the familiar climes of Dubai and Sharjah. Their shot-making ability and improvisation will surely be under the scanner in alien conditions.

Contrast this with the superb form that New Zealand batsmen have been in and one realises that Pakistan bowlers will be facing a very tough challenge. The hosts flayed the Sri Lankan attack in the recently-concluded One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 series between the two teams. New Zealand’s batting is brutal and belligerent on home turf and Pakistan will need the likes of Mohammad Amir and Umar Gul to hit their strides immediately. Amir is surely going to be the centre of attention after serving his five-year ban for spot-fixing and facing much controversy over his return to the national team. With the baggage that he brings, there might be a stern test ahead waiting for the team.

After the three-match Twenty20 series, Azhar Ali will take over the reins of the ODI outfit for another three-match duel. That series can be a make or break one for Azhar after renewed criticism of his captaincy following the 1-3 hammering against England. Pakistan have to up the ante and match New Zealand man to man, else they might be in for a fair amount of duress on the tour.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2016.

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