Pakistan VS Newzeland 1st Test
NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand come into this two-game Test series with Pakistan following a 2-1 victory in the T20 series but they have good form in this format of the game having won their last four Test matches played against India and the West Indies, and having won five of the last six against Pakistan.
They comprehensively outplayed West Indies earlier this month beating them both times by an innings after putting up big totals when batting first and they will likely look to follow that blueprint here if they win the toss.
Kane Williamson missed the second Test due to the birth of his child but he will likely come back into the side for Will Young to form what is a fearsome looking line-up with only Colin de Grandhomme missing from what is arguably their strongest team in this format.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan return to Test action after their last series was played in August in England where they lost 1-0 in a three Test series where they competed extremely well in a series heavily impacted by rain.
They are not helped by injuries for this opening Test at least as Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq and Shadab Khan are all absent through injury so Mohammad Rizwan will lead the side but they are left somewhat weakened.
The rest of their Test regulars such as Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas all return to action here but they will have to hit the ground running as they have not played Test cricket for four months unlike the hosts.
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