Captains Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan and Mitchell Santner of New Zealand emphasized on Friday that their upcoming tri-nation series clash this weekend will serve as a crucial rehearsal for their Champions Trophy encounter. The series, featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa, concludes on February 14, just days before the eight-team Champions Trophy begins on February 19.
Rizwan, speaking ahead of Saturday’s match in Lahore, highlighted the significance of the series as preparation for the Champions Trophy. “We have our best players available, making this an important series and ideal preparation for the bigger event,” he said. Pakistan, the defending Champions Trophy winners, have shown improved form recently after a prolonged period of inconsistent performances across formats.
Since Rizwan assumed the captaincy in November, Pakistan has enjoyed a resurgence, securing a historic 2-1 series win in Australia—their first in over two decades. They also triumphed against Zimbabwe and achieved a historic home whitewash against South Africa in December.
Santner, who took over New Zealand’s white-ball captaincy last year, acknowledged that the Champions Trophy would be on his team’s mind during the match. “It’s good preparation for us, as we’ll face Pakistan in similar conditions during the Champions Trophy opener in Karachi,” he said. The two teams are set to meet again in the tournament’s opening match on February 19, with the event concluding on March 9.
Santner also expressed confidence in New Zealand’s bowling attack, which includes experienced pacers Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who collectively have 432 ODI wickets. The squad also features emerging talents like Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke, Matt Henry, and Nathan Smith. However, Lockie Ferguson, recovering from an injury, is unlikely to feature in Saturday’s game.
The tri-nation series will see New Zealand face South Africa in Lahore on Monday, followed by Pakistan taking on South Africa in Karachi on February 12. The series finale is scheduled for February 14, providing all teams with valuable match practice ahead of the Champions Trophy.
