New Zealand vs. Pakistan, 3rd ODI: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview

New Zealand will be looking to claim a series win over Pakistan when the two sides meet at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.

Date: Sunday, 31 January

Time: 11 a.m. local (10 p.m. GMT, 30 January)

Venue: Eden Park, Auckland

Live Stream and TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), Sky Sport (New Zealand), TenSports (Pakistan), NowTV (subscription required).

Weather: According to AccuWeather.com, there is a chance of a thunderstorm and a bit of rain, but it should not be as bad as the weather that washed out the second one-day international.

Overview

Despite a lukewarm batting performance in the first ODI, which relied on two lower-order players to lift the total to 280, New Zealand managed a win. The second match was abandoned due to bad weather, so Pakistan can only draw if they manage to pull off a victory.

Aside from their 16-run triumph in the first Twenty20 game, Pakistan are winless and have suffered big defeats, including a 10-wicket hammering in the second T20.

On home soil, the Black Caps are fast becoming a formidable force in limited-overs cricket having won 18 of their last 23 one-day internationals on home soil. They’ve lost just three of those with the other two being rained out.

Martin Guptill has scored over 1,000 runs in that same time period, while Kane Williamson has also contributed consistency with five half-centuries and two hundreds in 18 games. Both failed in the first ODI, but it’s surely only a matter of time before they click.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Amir was their most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 28 runs, but his return to international cricket has not been easy. There were jeers from the crowd, and the stadium announcer played the sound of a cash register during one of Amir's bowling spells, per BBC Sport.

Amir's bowling was impressive, but he will need plenty of support and guidance to navigate the taunting he will receive all over the world.

From a batting perspective, Pakistan have been underwhelming. In the ODI where play was possible, there was just one half-century and just three scores in total over 20. New Zealand’s bowlers are very good in home conditions so expect a tough challenge for Pakistan.

Key players

New Zealand

As already mentioned, Guptill's one-day record over the last few months is impressive. He might have failed in the first match in this series, but he never stays down for too long. A solid contribution at the top of the order will go a long way in helping the Black Caps to a decent total.

Pakistan

Pakistan need their batsmen to come good. Azhar Ali hit an unbeaten 132 for his domestic team in a limited-overs game before this series began and maybe just needed some time to adjust to New Zealand conditions. Now that he has, Pakistan will be expecting a big performance from him at the top of the order.

Squads

New Zealand: Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Latham, BJ Watling (wk). 

Pakistan: Azhar Ali (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Zafar Gohar, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir.

All information obtained firsthand, unless otherwise stated.