Another compelling battle on the cards

Match facts

Tuesday, November 3
Start time 15:00 (11:00 GMT)

Tempting as it is to look at this series as a mighty battle for fourth place in the ICC ODI rankings, or even a series where Pakistan seek cold-blooded revenge for the ignominy heaped upon them by the very same opponents at the Champions Trophy, it is, fortunately, neither. This is simply a compelling series between two eminently watchable sides who usually tend to produce some eminently watchable cricket against each other; no Pakistan-New Zealand contest, for example, is complete without one spectacular batting collapse.

There are other reasons as well. New Zealand are here without a coach and Pakistan's man, Intikhab Alam, is more a manager than a modern-day coach. So for the first time in many years, we will be watching cricket, essentially, coach-less. As cricket comes to the end of a decade in which coaches have assumed the significance of unelected advisors to government - they are important but no one can decide why - it is a timely, if no doubt temporary, step back to a forgotten time.

On the field will step two of cricket's most powerful current captains. After recent fudges at home, Daniel Vettori and Younis Khan have the kind of control, say and influence captains around the world could only hope for. Vettori has selection duties, is his side's key allrounder and matchwinner and is taking on more coaching duties after the exit of Andy Moles. Younis, having resigned, has come back as captain with greater security, a more amenable management setup and presumably a free hand over selection matters, as most Pakistan captains have had. Admittedly, his grip will always be more fragile than Vettori's.

And there will still be much else to keep an eye on. Shane Bond continuing his return to international cricket, the forgotten Scott Styris trying to capitalise on others' injury misfortunes, the perpetual hope of a hand or two from Brendon McCullum. Pakistan will eagerly monitor the ongoing development of Mohammad Aamer and Umar Akmal, as well as the return of some real openers at the top of the order.

Form Guide (most recent last)

Pakistan WWWLL
New Zealand - LWWWL

Now that Younis Khan has got what he has wanted, it might not be a bad time for him to pick up some ODI form. This year has been a poor one for him: in 16 ODIs he has 398 runs at less than 25, with only two fifties.

Similarly, this might be a fine time from Brendon McCullum to fire with the bat as well. Expectations have been unnaturally high since that scarcely believable IPL hundred, but an average of 26 from 21 ODIs this year, with just two fifties, is disappointing at many levels. A move down the order may be the tonic.

Pakistan will have one, possibly both, different openers from those who played in the Champions Trophy, with Salman Butt and Imran Farhat the likely beneficiaries. The only other question mark is likely to be over Naved-ul-Hasan and whether Abdul Razzaq should replace him.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Naved-ul-Hasan/Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal

New Zealand are injury-ravaged as they were during the Champions Trophy, missing key personnel in Daryl Tuffey, Jesse Ryder and Grant Elliott. Scott Styris is back, as is Jacob Oram and with Kyle Mills suffering an injury, the young, impressive Tim Southee is definitely in contention for a starting place.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Aaron Redmond, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Neil Broom, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Jacob Oram, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Shane Bond, 11 Tim Southee

Surfaces at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium have not always been reminiscent of the run-leakers of the 80s and 90s Middle East cricket. Generally they are low and sluggish and batsmen find it difficult to get away, often making for low-scoring, tense encounters. It will not be a surprise if conditions are much different this time round. Pakistan's stronger spin attack and knowledge of the surfaces and conditions should give them a slight advantage.

"It's not a revenge series, but all the players have it in their minds to beat New Zealand."
Younis Khan keeps the past away from the team's focus.

"Everyone goes on about the speed, I'm happy with the pace I'm bowling."
Shane Bond believes he hasn't been as sharp as he's supposed to be.