LAHORE: The tri-nation ODI series involving hosts Pakistan, along with New Zealand and South Africa will be played from February 8 to 14 at the newly constructed Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
Pakistan will take on New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday (today), with the first ball to be bowled at 2pm PST. In the single-league tournament, New Zealand will take on South Africa on Monday (February 10) at the same venue in the day game. The match is scheduled to begin at 09.30am.
After the second match, the action will move to Karachi, where the home side will take on South Africa at the National Bank Stadium in a day-night match on Wednesday (February 12). The final of the event will be played between the top two sides on Friday (February 14) with the first ball to be bowled at 2pm PST.
All matches will be broadcasted live on Ten Sports, PTV Sports and A-Sports and will be live-streamed on Tamasha, myco and Tapmad in Pakistan.
The tournament provides an opportunity to all three sides to prepare for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which is set to begin in Karachi on February 19 with hosts, Pakistan taking on New Zealand.
Mohammad Rizwan will be eying his fourth consecutive ODI series win since taking over as Pakistan captain, having won bilateral ODI series against Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa last year.
Mohammad Rizwan on the eve of the tri-nation series said: “We are excited to be playing again in front of our home crowd and in the newly constructed stadiums in Lahore and Karachi. The preparations have gone well so far with the players looking to give their best in the tournament leading up to the ICC event.”
New Zealand, who had their first training session at the LCCA Ground on Thursday evening, will look to make a winning start in the tournament. Mitchell Santner said, “We had a good training session in Lahore under lights and can’t wait to take on the home side on Saturday. It is great to be back in Pakistan and the side had a good outing when we toured last time. The tri-nation series will provide us a great opportunity to know about the wickets and help us prepare well for the upcoming pinnacle event.”
South Africa under Temba Bavuma arrived in Lahore in the wee hours of Friday and will undergo their first training session on Saturday.
Temba Bavuma said: “It is a great opportunity for the side to warm up before the mega event. We have a mixed squad and the tri-nation tournament will help us acclimatise to the conditions before we gear up for the ICC event.”
Schedule of tri-series matches: February 8 – Pakistan v New Zealand (d/n); February 10 – New Zealand v South Africa (d); February 12 – Pakistan v South Africa (d/n); February 14 – Final (d/n).
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