HAMILTON: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bowl first under cloudy skies in the first cricket Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton Friday.
"There is a bit of grass, especially on one side of the wicket, and the forecast today is for overcast and so we will bowl first," he said.
Despite the atmospheric conditions and the suggestion the ball will swing on a green wicket, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori had no regrets about the outcome of the toss.
"We had a feeling we would bat first, no matter what he said."
Although Pakistan are without frontline players Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, who are appearing before an Independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal hearing in Doha, Qatar, Misbah insisted his side was focused on the Test.
"That's a separate issue," he said when asked about the hearing in Doha. "We are focused here on cricket, we have nothing to do with what's happening there."
Pakistan are ranked sixth in the world, two places higher than New Zealand, and drew both Tests against South Africa in their most recent series last November.
The same month, New Zealand drew two Tests against India before being beaten in the third Test.
Teams:
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Reece Young, Tim Southee, Brent Arnel, Chris Martin; James Franklin (12th man).
Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz; Umar Akmal (12th man).
Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS), Rod Tucker (AUS)
Third umpire: Gary Baxter (NZL)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)
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