Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss on Friday and decided to bat first against New Zealand in the first warm-up match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup 2023 in Hyderabad.
The warm-up match will consist of 50 overs per side.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and decided to bat first against New Zealand in the first warm-up match of the ICC World Cup 2023 in Hyderabad.
Like in past ICC Cricket World Cup tournaments, the warm-up matches will consist of 50 overs per side. However, these matches won’t have ODI status because teams will have the flexibility to include all 15 members of their squad in the playing XI.
According to New Zealand Cricket, Williamson will only feature as a batter in today’s first warm-up match against Pakistan in Hyderabad, with the aim of batting and fielding in Monday’s second and final warm-up against South Africa in Trivandrum. Tom Latham will lead New Zealand in today’s first warm-up match as a result.
It must be noted that the game will be held without spectators. This decision comes in response to recommendations from local security authorities in Hyderabad, the match’s designated venue, coinciding with ongoing festivals in the area.
On the same day as Pakistan’s match against New Zealand, two other warm-up games are scheduled: Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka in Guwahati, and South Africa will compete against Afghanistan in Thiruvananthapuram.
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will take place in India with 10 teams fighting for the elusive title across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final.
Pakistan Squad
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, M Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha.
New Zealand Squad
Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.
