New Zealand’s start to what they hope will be a full month in and around Pakistan couldn’t have gone much better. The squad they picked for the tri-series as well as the upcoming Champions Trophy appears to be especially well-suited to these conditions at this early stage. They kicked off the tri-series with a comprehensive dismantling of Pakistan, pacing their innings with the bat perfectly, before choking Pakistan with spin under the renovated Gaddafi Stadium’s lights. Dew, if any existed, was no hindrance to spin, with New Zealand turning to it for 26 of the 47.5 overs they sent down.
The bad news comes in the form of potential player unavailability. Rachin Ravindra will not feature after sustaining a nasty blow to the forehead in the first game, where a ball struck him after he lost sight of it while fielding in the deep; there was plenty of blood and it required stitches. More serious damage, as initially feared, appears to have been averted, but he continues to be monitored for potential signs of delayed concussion. It has also emerged that Lockie Ferguson’s injury may need a longer recovery time than initially hoped, placing him in doubt for the Champions Trophy.
The SA20, which only finished on Saturday, has meant that South Africa have not had the luxury of sending a full-strength side to this tournament. The side that plays the Champions Trophy will be markedly different, but two or three games here gives Temba Bavuma’s side the opportunity to get an early look at conditions in match scenarios. Bavuma captains a side drawn largely from South Africa’s domestic pool, but it does feature familiar names in Kyle Verreynne, Tabraiz Shamsi and Wiaan Mulder, all of whom played recently against Pakistan on their all-format tour to South Africa. Keshav Maharaj and Heinrich Klaasen are expected to be in the mix for their next game, against Pakistan.
Perhaps limiting the value of the extra game is its starting time. This match is the only day game in this series, and no matches will be played in this time slot for the duration of the Champions Trophy. The morning start, coupled with a game that does not see Pakistan feature, means attendance figures won’t be anywhere near what they were for New Zealand’s contest against Pakistan. It may also make it even more of a batting surface than day-night games in Lahore tend to be, but with dew guaranteed to not be a factor, New Zealand’s spinners will likely be even more potent.
It’s not a secret that Tom Latham has endured a difficult spell with the bat of late, but the focus will only intensify after he was dismissed for a duck in an otherwise productive New Zealand batting effort against Pakistan. In the other ODIs Latham played this year, he managed one run across two innings, and though these are his first ODIs since 2023, he averaged under 30 across 27 innings that year. Furthermore, the scorecard suggests he didn’t quite convince when he dropped down a level to play the Super Smash, managing 95 runs across four T20 innings at just over a run-a-ball. With the Champions Trophy coming up, it’s a problem New Zealand would rather do without, and a weakened South Africa bowling unit may be the perfect time for Latham to get back in the groove.
Lungi Ngidi endured a pretty ordinary SA20, and in normal circumstances, may have faced a battle to be part of this side. But the number of first-choice players rendered unavailable to South Africa because of the SA20 as well as injuries to Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee, saw him tagged on as a late addition to the travelling party. Injuries and fitness concerns haven’t helped him, but this is a bowler who, for several years, was a regular across formats in South Africa’s international squads. With the Champions Trophy around the corner, this would be a particularly useful time to remind coach Rob Walter and the selectors of what he can do when at his best.