New Zealand bat after winning toss against Pakistan in first Test

ABU DHABI (92 News) – New Zealand are batting after winning the toss against Pakistan at the first Test at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi from on Friday. Pakistan have had a good run in Test cricket in recent times, belying their seventh position in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings – this year, they beat Ireland in Ireland, then drew a two-Test series in England, and have since won the two-Test series in the United Arab Emirates against Australia 1-0. New Zealand might be the fourth-best team in the world at the moment, but considering Pakistan’s form and the fact that the Tests will be played in the UAE, the visitors start as underdogs. Squads Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c & wk), Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Bilal Asif, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hafeez, Saad Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Yasir Shah New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Jeet Raval, Ish Sodhi, William Somerville, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling (wk).