Pakistan v New Zealand Second ODI Tips: Kiwis need extra gear

• Kiwi trade possible

• Afridi a bet at 10/3

• Runs bets wise

Pakistan v New Zealand
Saturday 29 April, 11:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

Pakistan enjoyed a straightforward success in game one of the five-match series. Bowling first they squeezed and constricted and then knocked off what may have looked a challenging total with ease.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah shared three wickets apiece. We suspect the first two might need a rest if the hosts can reach an unassailable lead. For now, though they go again.

Fakhar Zaman continued his excellent form against the Kiwis with a century. He was well-supported by Babar Azam who fell just shy of a fifty.

Probable XI: Fakhar, Imam, Babar, Masood, Rizwan, Agha, Nawaz, Shadab, Afridi, Rauf, Naseem

New Zealand's 288 would have been a decent score ten years ago. But in this era and on a particularly flat Rawalpindi pitch it was never going to be enough. They have to go up a gear.

Perhaps they're warming up. Will Young produced a much-needed innings of substance. But Daryl Mitchell pipped him for top bat with a superb century. With Henry Nicholls at No 6 they're reliant on Mark Chapman bringing T20 destruction to a finish.

Probable XI: Young, Bowes, Mitchell, Latham, Chapman, Nicholls, Ravindra, Milne, Sodhi, Henry, Tickner

Team news

Rawalpindi is good for batting. We have been saying that since the T20 series. Batting first, 320 should be a minimum. We have more faith that Pakistan can manage that, particularly after they got to 291 with nine balls left. Pakistan to bus that mark may be available at around 1.9010/11.

How to play

Pakistan are 1.402/5 with New Zealand 3.711/4. The match odds strategy is clear. Hope that New Zealand bat first.

Then they have to bust that 320 margin. And essentially that's what we're betting on. They can get their odds down significantly to make a trade worthwhile.

Then we would expect Pakistan to chase cosily. We'd be looking for 1.804/5 for Pakistan which should be possible if the Kiwis can bat well.

Tops value

Afridi was squeezed out for top bowler for a clear 3/1 winner and we had to make do with a deah heat with Rauf and Naseem. But we're surprised Sportsbook have pushed him out further to 10/3. We'll play again.

For batters, we're wary of getting with one or two individuals because of the flat nature, even if Imam has been boosted to 10/2 and Mitchell to 7/2.

Individual runs could be the way to play. Imam and Fakhar are available to go long at 37.5 and 36.5 respectively at 10/11.