New Zealand will be looking to continue their fine run
Babar Azam
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Pakistan's best limited-overs batsman
One of Pakistan's most precocious talents, Babar Azam may have struggled in the whites for his side, but he has been one of their most consistent players in the shorter format of the game.
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With an average of 59 in ODIs, Azam has cemented his spot in the Pakistan middle-order and has delivered in almost all conditions against a variety of oppositions.
Azam was in fine touch in the series against Sri Lanka, compiling two centuries in the first two games to go with a fifty in the fourth ODI.
The 23-year-old was Pakistan's leading run-getter in ODIs last year, with 872 runs at an average of 67 and the onus will be on him to blunt a New Zealand attack comprising Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson among others.
Azam missed out in the warm-up game, but will be gunning to get back into form in this series.
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About the author
Arvind Sriram
After a brief and undistinguished stint as an electrical engineer, Arvind discovered his true calling was churning out hyperbolic prose about athletes he had never met.
A writer and editor with close to a decade’s experience, Arvind’s work has been published on Sky Sports, the BBC, the Guardian and other leading websites. He has attended multiple Grand Slams on the ground and provided coverage for Super Bowls and the NBA playoffs.
As a lifelong fan of Arsenal and the Indianapolis Colts, he has mastered the art of managing expectations and can convince anyone that finishing fourth is a moral victory.
When not armchair quarterbacking, Arvind spends his time playing blitz chess online, watching air crash documentaries and smashing controllers after his latest Weekend League defeat.
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