New Delhi: A regular feature till the early 2000s, the forgotten format of ODI cricket – tri-series returns to entertain the masses from Saturday. Pakistan host New Zealand and South Africa at their own den in a short three-match series starting with the first affair between the hosts and the Kiwis at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8.
The Men in Green will be eager to prove their mark in the series while Proteas and Kiwis would be looking to gain some confidence on subcontinental pitches. The tri-series is in turn considered a preparation for all the three sides ahead of the marquee Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on February 19. Pakistan would be eager to showcase their class and come out victorious on their turf as the side has been facing a lot of criticism with respect to its performances in the 50-over format.
Round-robin format for tri-series
The series, which comprises just three games and the final, will be played in a round-robin format, with each team facing the other side once. The top two sides coming out of the league fixtures will then face-off in the final on February 14. Apart from two matches at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, other two matches will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi, which are the main venues for the CT 2025.
Ahead of the beginning of the series, let’s take a look at the all the details pertaining to the ODI tri-series.
Series schedule
| Date | Match | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 8 | Pakistan vs New Zealand | 2:30 PM | Lahore, Gaddafi Stadium |
| February 10 | New Zealand vs South Africa | 10:00 AM | Lahore, Gaddafi Stadium |
| February 12 | Pakistan vs South Africa | 2:30 PM | Karachi, National Stadium |
| February 14 | (TBC vs TBC), Final | 2:30 PM | Karachi, National Stadium |
Team squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (c), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Muhammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Eathan Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Junior Dala, Wiaan Mulder, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy, Gideon Peters, Meeka-eel Prince, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.
Live streaming and live telecast details
The Sony Sports Network holds the broadcast rights for the ODI Tri-Nation series in India, with live telecasts of all matches. Fans can also watch the live streaming exclusively on the FanCode app in India.
The series, which comprises just three games and the final, will be played in a round-robin format, with each team facing the other side once. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
