New Zealand vs Pakistan Preview: Team News & Prediction | 1st One-Day International

Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

New Zealand thumped Pakistan 4-1 in the T20i series and the tourists will be hoping for much more positive results in the ODIs.

Date/Time: Friday March 28th 2025: USA PT – 3:00pm / USA ET – 6:00pm / UK – 10:00pm

Venue: McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand

Weather: A chance of light rain showers early in the day, but these should pass and a full game is expected.

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Willow TV 

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Willow TV

New Zealand Betting Analysis

Injury to Tom Latham puts slightly more pressure on fellow batter Will Young to produce in this first ODI, a match in which he is set to play in before dropping out of camp for the birth of his first child. Young’s game is well-suited to 50-over cricket and should see him cash in against an opponent low on confidence. Therefore, back Young with a small stake to finish as New Zealand’s top batter, guaranteeing a high return should Young come through.

Pakistan Betting Analysis

A number of key Pakistan batters come into the squad for this series and for Mohammad Rizwan in particular, it’s a crucial run of games when taking into account his status as captain, wicket-keeper and key batter. Wherever Rizwan bats in the order, he is capable of accumulating fast runs and a significant individual total and it’s worth investing in his ability, specifically to strike 20+ runs via the ‘Batter Milestones’ market.

New Zealand vs Pakistan Expert Prediction

Despite this being a change in format, you cannot underestimate the momentum gained by New Zealand following their resounding success in the five-game T20i series. For Pakistan to recover from that, particularly on the bowling front is a difficult ask and it would be no surprise to see them struggle to find their radar with the ball. That should give New Zealand an edge and warrants backing the Black Caps to win match one.

New Zealand vs Pakistan Tip: New Zealand to win