The Pakistan team is gearing up to face New Zealand in a crucial must-win match in the World Cup 2023 tomorrow, following a comfortable victory over Bangladesh in their last match.
The Green Shirts are expected to maintain the same playing XI they used against Bangladesh, a match they won convincingly with a 7-wicket margin.
Pakistan’s Predicted Playing XI:
| Abdullah Shafique | Fakhar Zaman | Babar Azam (c) | Mohammad Rizwan (wk) | Saud Shakeel | Iftikhar Ahmed |
| Salman Ali Agha | Usama Mir | M. Wasim Jr. | Shaheen Afridi | Haris Rauf |
Fakhar Zaman was reintroduced into the side, replacing Imam-ul-Haq. Fakhar delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 81 runs off 74 balls, which included 7 massive sixes. Abdullah Shafique also put up a solid innings, contributing 68 runs. At the moment, it seems unlikely that there will be any changes in the batting department, as it appears to be in excellent form.
In the bowling attack against Bangladesh, Shaheen Afridi led from the front by taking three crucial wickets and bowling economical overs. Wasim Jr also impressed, securing three wickets, while Haris Rauf contributed well with two wickets, resulting in Bangladesh being restricted to a total of 204 runs.
Furthermore, Usama Mir proved to be a bit costly, as he managed to take only one wicket. He is part of the team due to Shadab’s injury, who is currently recovering from a concussion. It’s highly likely that there won’t be any changes in the bowling department, and they will likely stick with the same lineup.
It must be noted that tomorrow’s match against New Zealand is a crucial “do or die” situation for Pakistan. They must secure a victory to increase their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.
On the other side, New Zealand has faced three consecutive defeats in the ongoing mega event, losing to India, Australia, and South Africa. They currently occupy the fourth position on the World Cup points table with 8 points. They are now in dire need of a victory to improve their prospects of making it to the semi-finals.
Match Timings
| Fixture | Date | Time | Venue |
| Pakistan vs. New Zealand | 04 November 2023 | 10:00 AM | Bengaluru |
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