NZ wins toss, elects to bat 1st in 5th ODI against Pakistan
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat first in the fifth and final one-day international against Pakistan on Sunday as it bids to avoid a clean sweep in the five-match series.
Pakistan rose to the top of the ICC’s ODI rankings after it took a 4-0 series lead with a 102-run win in the last game. However, the home team needs a clean sweep of the Black Caps to retain its No. 1 spot.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who became the fastest batter in the history of ODIs to reach 5,000 runs with his 18th hundred on Wednesday, will be playing in his 100th game.
Shadab Khan returns to the side in the only change for Pakistan after the leg-spinner replaced Mohammad Haris.
New Zealand surprisingly rested Daryl Mitchell, who scored back-to-back centuries in the first two games at Rawalpindi, as the tourists brought back Henry Nicholls.
The Black Caps, touring Pakistan without eight regular white-ball players who are playing in the Indian Premier League, also left out Blair Tickner, Ben Lister and James Neesham after losing the last game heavily.
Fast bowlers Henry Shipley and Adam Milne along with left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra were brought back to the playing XI.
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Lineups:
New Zealand: Will Young, Tom Blundell, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham (captain), Mark Chapman, Cole McConchie, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Adam Milne, Matt Henry.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim.
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