Tri-nation series Archives

Pakistan team reaches Karachi for tri-nation series clash against South Africa

Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan-led team reached Karachi on Sunday ahead of their second match of the tri-nation series against South Africa, set to be played at the rebuilt National Bank Stadium Karachi on Wednesday.

According to the report, the Men in Green will practice for three hours at the venue tomorrow afternoon for a must-win game against South Africa.

For the unversed, New Zealand achieved a convincing victory against the Pakistan team by 78 runs in the opening match of the tri-nation ODI series at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

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Batting first, Phillips scored a fiery unbeaten ton after Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell’s fifties to power New Zealand to 330 over the loss of six wickets.

Chasing 331, Pakistan got off to a promising start with the new opening pair of Fakhar and Babar Azam putting together a brisk 52-run stand.

Fakhar Zaman was the only silver lining for Pakistan as they crumbled in chase, and were bowled out for 252 in 47.5 overs at Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan squad for tri-nation series and Champions Trophy 2025:

Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

READ: Tri-nation series: Haris Rauf set to be rested for match against South Africa

Tri-nation series: Haris Rauf set to be rested for match against South Africa

Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf is likely to be rested for the tri-nation series clash against South Africa, set to be played at National Bank Stadium Karachi on Wednesday.

According to the sources, Rauf is in good health after feeling discomfort while bowling in the series opener against New Zealand.

However, the team management doesn’t want to take any risk by playing him against South Africa in the must-win game for the home team.

Moreover, sources revealed that the final decision to play him in the Pakistan versus South Africa clash will depend on the results of his MRI- reports.

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For the unversed, the right-arm bowler left the field during the 36th over of the single-league tournament opener after bowling 6.2 overs due to fitness concerns.

After his absence, the Men in Green bowling attack looked ominous, which was taken apart by Glenn Phillips who scored blistering century.

It is pertinent to note here that New Zealand achieved a convincing victory against Pakistan by 78 runs in the opening match of the tri-nation ODI series at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

Batting first, Phillips scored a fiery unbeaten ton after Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell’s fifties to power New Zealand to 330 over the loss of six wickets.

Chasing 331, Pakistan got off to a promising start with the new opening pair of Fakhar and Babar Azam putting together a brisk 52-run stand.

Fakhar Zaman was the only silver lining for Pakistan as they crumbled in chase, and were bowled out for 252 in 47.5 overs at Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan squad for tri-nation series and Champions Trophy 2025:

READ: England Men call up Tom Banton as cover for third ODI against India

New Zealand Cricket provides update on Rachin Ravindra’s injury

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has provided an injury update on the all-rounder Rachin Ravindra after he was hit by a ball during the first ODI of the tri-nation series against Pakistan on Saturday.

The incident happened in the 37th over of the second innings when Ravindra lost sight of the ball while going for a catch off Michael Bracewell.

The ball struck the New Zealand batter’s forehead and he was left bruised.

The New Zealand Cricket provided details of the star batter’s injury while assuring that he is in good health.

“Ravindra sustained a ‘laceration’ to the forehead, however, he was ‘otherwise well,” said New Zealand Cricket after the match.

“Rachin Ravindra was forced from the field after being struck in the forehead by the ball attempting a catch in the 38th over. He sustained a laceration to the forehead which has been addressed and treated at the ground, but is otherwise well.”

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The board further said that he has passed his initial Head Injury Assessment and he would remain under further observation.

”He came through his first HIA (Head Injury Assessment) well and will continue to be monitored under HIA processes,” NZC said in a statement.

It is noteworthy that the latest incident has added to New Zealand’s already injury concerns as lead pacer Lockie Ferguson suffered a hamstring injury during the International league T20 (ILT20) in the UAE.

It is pertinent to note that New Zealand achieved a convincing victory against Pakistan by 78 runs in the opening match of the tri-nation ODI series at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

Batting first, Glenn Phillips scored a fiery unbeaten ton after Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell’s fifties to power New Zealand to 330 over the loss of six wickets.

Chasing 331, Pakistan were bowled out for 252 in 47.5 overs at Gaddafi Stadium.

READ: Dominant Australia sweep Sri Lanka series as Karunaratne bows out

Missing key players won’t hold us back: South Africa bowling consultant

LAHORE: Former Pakistan all-rounder and newly appointed South Africa bowling consultant Yasir Arafat on Saturday expressed optimism about the Proteas’ chances despite several key players missing from the squad for the tri-nation ODI series.

Speaking to the media after joining the South African camp, Yasir acknowledged the absence of major players but expressed confidence in the squad’s depth and potential.

“South Africa’s key players are not part of this series due to injuries or other reasons, but despite that, this is still a very strong team,” he said.

Recognizing the impact of missing experienced names, Yasir emphasized the opportunity for young players to step up.

“Of course, not having big names is a disadvantage, but it also gives new players a chance to learn and prove themselves,” he added.

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Yasir Arafat, who joined the coaching staff of South Africa as a bowling consultant, praised the team environment and the culture of learning within the squad.

“I have only been with the team for two hours, but I can already see how good the team atmosphere is. South African players get a great chance to learn from each other,” Yasir Arafat remarked.

“They considered the conditions before bringing me in, and I will give my best to help the team,” he further added.

Yasir also lauded Pakistan’s recent coverage of Gaddafi Stadium’s renovation, acknowledging its significance in hosting major events.

“I have been following all the updates from England, and the way you covered Gaddafi Stadium’s transformation deserves appreciation,” he noted.

READ: PM Shehbaz Sharif shares piece of advice for Shaheen Afridi ahead of Champions Trophy

Former Pakistan all-rounder joins South Africa’s coaching staff

Former Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat has joined the support staff of South Africa as the bowling consultant for the upcoming tri-nation ODI series.

Arafat reached Pakistan from London and joined South Africa’s training camp in Lahore ahead of their first match of the series against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 10.

Yasir Arafat has represented Pakistan in three Test matches, 11 ODIs and 13 T20Is from 2000 to 2012. He completed his ECB Level 4 coaching course from Loughborough University, becoming the first Pakistan Test cricketer to do so.

He has gained extensive experience as a bowling coach for various county teams, including the Sussex and Surrey. Additionally, he has also worked with Australia’s renowned Big Bash League (BBL) franchise, the Perth Scorchers.

His coaching repertoire also includes serving as Pakistan’s High-Performance Coach as well as the bowling coach for the Hong Kong national team.

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The tri-nation ODI series will be played from 8 to 14 February at the newly constructed Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and National Bank Stadium in Karachi

Pakistan will take on New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, with the first ball to be bowled at 2:00 pm PST.

In the single-league tournament, New Zealand will take on South Africa on Monday, 10 February at the same venue in the day game. The match is scheduled to begin at 09:30 AM.

After the second match, the action will move to Karachi, where the home side will take on South Africa at the National Bank Stadium in a day-night match on Wednesday, 12 February.

The final of the tri-nation ODI series will be played between the top two sides on Friday, 14 February with the first ball to be bowled at 2:00 PM PST.

The tournament provides an opportunity for all three sides to prepare for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to begin in Karachi on 19 February with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand.

READ: South Africa add two key players to squad for tri-nation ODI series

Star New Zealand pacer doubtful for tri-nation ODI series, Champions Trophy 2025

Star New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson is suffering from a hamstring injury and his participation in the upcoming tri-nation ODI series as well as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 remains uncertain.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is awaiting the results of his scans for the hamstring injury he sustained while playing for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 on February 5. He was unable to bowl the final ball of his spell and left the field due to the injury.

“Just a little hamstring issue, unfortunate. Tough night; wish I could’ve bowled the last ball,” said Ferguson after the match.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead stated on Friday that the side was waiting on the results of the pacer’s scans ahead of the opening match of the tri-nation ODI series against Pakistan.

“Lockie had a scan yesterday [Thursday] in the UAE. We’ve got the images here and [we are] waiting for our radiologist to give us a report on the extent of it,” the New Zealand coach said.

“Small hamstring injury, by the look of it, so we’re just waiting on a timeline of advice around that before we make a decision on whether Lockie travels here [Pakistan] or whether we do have to replace him for the Champions Trophy 2025,” he added.

New Zealand squad for Tri-nation ODI series

Mitchell Santner (c), Will Young, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy

READ: PM Shehbaz Sharif shares piece of advice for Shaheen Afridi ahead of Champions Trophy

South Africa add two key players to squad for tri-nation ODI series

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday, added left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi and right-arm pacer Lungi Ngidi to their squad for the first match of the upcoming tri-nation ODI series in Pakistan.

The tri-nation ODI series will begin today, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in the opening match at the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium.

Meanwhile, South Africa will play their first match of the series against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 10.

The tri-nation series holds significant importance for Pakistan as well as New Zealand and South Africa as they prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The final of the series is set to take place on February 14 at the recently renovated National Bank Stadium (NBS) in Karachi.

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South Africa initially announced an inexperienced 12-member squad, featuring six uncapped players, for the first match of the series. However, CSA added Shamsi and Ngidi to the squad to bolster their line-up for the aforementioned fixture.

“Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi have been added to the squad for South Africa’s first match of the tri-nation ODI series against New Zealand on 10 February,” CSA announced.

For the unversed, Ngidi last played an ODI in October last year against Ireland, while Shamsi featured in the ODI series against Pakistan in December last year.

South Africa squad for first ODI of the tri-nation series

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, Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi.

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Key pacer returns as South Africa reveal squad for tri-nation series

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Wednesday announced a 12-member squad for the first match of the tri-nation series in Pakistan, with pacer Gerald Coetzee returning to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the Test series against Sri Lanka.

The squad, featuring six uncapped players, is announced for their match against New Zealand, which is scheduled on 10 February at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

“Players will be added to the squad following the SA20 Eliminator between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings on Wednesday, 05 February,” CSA said in a press release.

Moreover, spinner Keshav Maharaj and explosive batter Heinrich Klaasen will be available for South Africa’s second ODI of the tri-series against Pakistan on February 12 in Karachi.

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The squad for the remainder of the series would be announced on February 9 after the SA20 final.

It’s worth noting that the series will begin on February 8, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in the opening match at Gaddafi Stadium.

The tri-nation series holds significant importance for Pakistan as well as New Zealand and South Africa as they prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The final of the series is set to take place on February 14 at the recently renovated National Bank Stadium (NBS) in Karachi.

South Africa squad for first ODI of the tri-series

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

READ: New Zealand squad arrives in Lahore for tri-nation ODI series

PCB reveals ticket prices for tri-nation ODI series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday, unveiled the ticket prices for the upcoming tri-nation ODI series involving the hosts along with New Zealand and South Africa.

The online tickets will be available here from 4:00 PM on Tuesday, 4 February, while physical tickets will also be available at eight Express Centres of TCS from Tuesday. Up to 10 tickets can be purchased on one ID card.

To facilitate fans for the tri-nation series, which is set to be played from 8-14 February in Lahore and Karachi as the newly upgraded Gaddafi Stadium (GSL) and National Bank Stadium (NBS) are set to welcome back international cricket, the tickets will be available at affordable pricing at PKR 350.

The weekend matches (Pakistan v New Zealand, 8 February at GSL) and (the final, 14 February at NBS) will be available from PKR 500.

To encourage maximum fans to enjoy their favourite players in action at the GSL and NBS before the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, the maximum ticket pricing for newly constructed enclosures in Lahore – Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas (VVIP enclosures) at the Jinnah End will be available to fans at PKR 5,000 for Saturday’s fixture, while Monday’s fixture for fans will be available at PKR 4,000.

For Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram (VVIP enclosures) at the Iqbal End, the fans can witness Saturday’s match for PKR 3,500, while tickets for Monday’s encounter will cost PKR 2,500.

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The VIP enclosures (Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan) will be available to fans at PKR 2,000 for Saturday’s fixture, while on Monday, the fans can enjoy the action from the same enclosures at PKR 1,500.

The premium enclosures (Rajas and Saeed Anwar) will be available to fans at PKR 1,500 for the opening match of the tri-series on Saturday, while Monday’s fixture will cost fans tickets available at PKR 1,000.

The general enclosures (Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Ahmed) at the Gaddafi Stadium will be available to fans at PKR 350 (Monday’s fixture) and PKR 500 (Saturday’s fixture).

Moreover, first-class enclosures (Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Abdul Qadir, Javed Miandad and Sarfaraz Nawaz) will be available to fans at PKR 1,000 (Monday’s fixture) and PKR 1,500 (Saturday’s fixture).

In Lahore, the fans can also witness action from Gallery (hospitality) boxes at PKR 6,000 for Saturday’s fixture and PKR 5,000 for Monday’s fixture.

For Karachi’s National Bank Stadium, the general enclosures (Asif Iqbal, Nazar Mohammad, Waqar Hasan and Younis Khan) tickets will be available to fans at PKR 350 for Wednesday’s fixture, while for the tri-series final on Friday the tickets will be available to fans at PKR 500.

For first-class enclosures (Imran Khan, Intikhab Alam, Wasim Akram, Wasim Bari and Shahid Afridi) entry tickets will be available for sale for Wednesday’s fixture at PKR 750, while the final on Friday will be available at PKR 1,000.

Additionally, premium enclosures (Iqbal Qasim, Mohammad Brothers, Naseem ul Ghani) will be accessible to fans at PKR 1,000 for Wednesday’s fixture while tickets for Friday’s fixture will be available at PKR 1,500.

VIP enclosures (Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad) tickets will be worth PKR 1,500 for Wednesday’s fixture, while it will cost PKR 2,000 for the final scheduled on Friday.

The VVIP enclosures (Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas) located at the University End, will be available to fans at PKR 4,000 for Wednesday’s fixture, while fans can buy tickets at PKR 5,000 for Friday’s final match.

The Gallery seats will be available to fans at PKR 5,000 for Wednesday’s fixture, while Friday’s fixture will be available to fans at PKR 6,000.

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PCB shifts tri-nation series to Lahore and Karachi

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the relocation of the upcoming tri-nation ODI series involving New Zealand and South Africa on Wednesday.

The tri-nation ODI series was originally scheduled to be held in Multan in February, however, it has been relocated to the upgraded Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

This decision reflects the PCB’s confidence in the readiness of these upgraded venues and their ability to deliver a world-class experience for players, officials, and fans alike. Further details regarding the series will be shared in due course.

The cricket board further provided an update regarding the aforementioned stadium, with Gaddafi Stadium’s being increased to 35,000 and new chairs installed throughout the venue.

Additionally, 480 state-of-the-art LED lights have been installed to enhance broadcast LUX levels, ensuring superior viewing quality for fans worldwide. To further elevate the spectator experience, two giant digital replay screens – measuring 80 feet x 30 feet and 22 feet x 35 feet – will be installed next week.

The stadium is set to be inaugurated in the last week of January.

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A brand-new players’ and officials’ hospitality enclosure has also been created, which will be operational by 25 January. The iconic stadium is set to provide an unparalleled experience for all stakeholders.

At the National Bank Stadium, significant enhancements have been made, including the creation of a new players’ and officials’ hospitality enclosure at the University End.

To improve broadcast coverage, 350 LED lights have been installed, ensuring optimal visibility for global audiences. Two digital replay screens have already been fixed, and 5,000 new chairs have been installed to enhance spectator comfort.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is undergoing minor touch-ups, focusing on the installation of 10,000 new chairs, upgrades to hospitality boxes and the installation of two digital replay screens.

These improvements are designed to ensure the stadium exceeds international standards for upcoming events.

Schedule of Tri-series (Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa)

8 February 2025, Pakistan vs New Zealand

10 February 2025, South Africa vs New Zealand

12 February 2025, South Africa vs Pakistan

14 February 2025, Final

READ: Fakhar Zaman ready to make a comeback in Champions Trophy