Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report for Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st ODI

The first ODI of the five-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. After a drawn T20I series, both teams would want to prove their domination in the 50-over format. This track produced some entertaining matches in Pakistan Super League 2022.

Pakistan’s form in their home conditions has not been great lately. Captain Babar Azam will carry a big responsibility to not just perform with the bat but lead the team as well. Batters Fakhar Zaman and Imam ul Haq are two other vital cogs of the batting unit. The bowling lineup of the team looks great.

The majority of New Zealand’s main players are busy playing in the IPL. Wicket-keeper Tom Latham will lead the side and he is one of the pillars of the side in this format of the game. The bowling of the side looks a little inexperienced. As always, the Blackcaps will be expected to punch above their weights.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report for Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st ODI

The pitch in Rawalpindi is an absolute belter to bat on. This is a flat track with absolutely no visible demons. The ball will come onto the bat very nicely and the batters will be able to play their shots at will. There is no help for any kind of bowlers here.

We saw some really high-scoring encounters in PSL 2022 matches in the city. The last T20I between these two sides also took place at the very same venue and runs flowed in that match too. The boundaries are very small here and we can expect a lot of boundaries & sixes in this match.

Surprisingly, the average first-innings ODI score at this venue is just 236 runs. The teams batting first will target a way higher score than this to stand any chance in the match. Both captains would love to chase after winning the toss as the batting can get easier under lights. Another run-scoring encounter is on the cards.