Toss Pakistan chose to bat vs New Zealand
Interim chief selector Shahid Afridi had suggested that Pakistan could make some changes to their side as they look to resurrect their Test form while also rotating some of their key players in a cricket-heavy calendar. That saw three new players added to their squad as well for the Test series, with Hamza now making it to the XI right away.
New Zealand’s XI, now being led by new captain Tim Southee, was on expected lines. They have two spinners in Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel with another offspin option in Michael Bracewell.
Pakistan are fielding an inexperienced bowling unit for the Test, with Mohammad Wasim being the other seamer alongside Hamza. Nauman Ali and Abrar Ahmed – who combine for 14 Test caps together – are the two main spin bowlers, with allrounder Agha Salman potentially offering a few more overs. Naseem Shah and Hasan Ali were left on the bench.
For both teams, it is an opportunity to finish 2022 on a high after a torrid few months in Test cricket. They are both trying to break a four-match losing streak in Tests and are already out of contention for the World Test Championship final scheduled for June 2023.
Pakistan: 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Shan Masood, 4 Babar Azam (capt), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 7 Agha Salman, 8 Nauman Ali, 9 Mohammad Wasim, 10 Mir Hamza, 11 Abrar Ahmed.
New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Tim Southee (capt), 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Ajaz Patel.